True courage is having the willingness to try

As my eldest child, Natalie, celebrated another birthday this week, I couldn’t help but think about all the great times we had as she grew up. The fun experiences, silly adventures, tears, fits of anger, mistakes, and happiness made for a moment in time I would never trade for anything. Although much older now, having traversed this life as an adult for multiple decades, her status as my little girl remains as vivid as when she was five.

As the two of us grew up together for all practical terms, I hope she can look back over the years and say that she learned from me as much as I learned from being her dad. I recall one specific moment where her decision shocked me. Not unlike her dad, Natalie really didn’t enjoy the structure of school very much. Although she did exceptionally well with her studies, there were many other things which she would rather be doing. Understanding this fact left me with no delusions about attending college and furthering her education in that manner.

As she approached her final year in high school, she came to me and revealed that she had decided to give college a try. Doing my best to support my child, we completed all the necessary paperwork, and my baby was quickly accepted as a future student at Missouri State University.  As I watched my child transition into adulthood, I often thought about the void that was going to be left in my life when she left home. Shielding her from all my concerns and longing for her to just stay a little girl for a few more years, I did my best to prepare and support her along her journey.

Her first year in college came and went and after a short time, my child, now a full-grown adult, stood before me with something to say. I will never forget the day when she, through stumbling words, explained that she really didn’t like college and was thinking about quitting. As the words, “I’m sorry for disappointing you, Dad,” flowed from her lips, disappointment was the furthest thing from my mind.

As I turned to my child I commended her on her decision. I explained, it’s not about the fact that she wasn’t going to go to college anymore, it’s about the fact that she gave it a shot. The pride I explained that I felt for her was that she gave it her best shot and that she and she alone concluded that it just wasn’t for her. I shared with her that the courage she showed in even trying was motivating.

Friends, just like Natalie, we face opportunities in life. Some big, some little. Some seemingly easy and others terrifyingly complicated. Regardless of the size, or complexity of the choices we make, one thing remains constant. That thing is that the focus isn’t upon the thing itself but in the fact that true courage is all about your being willing to try. Don’t shy away from trying new things because of fear or apprehension my friends, constantly remind yourself that what really matters is that you gave it your best shot.