Soldier

There is foolish pride. And then there's the other kind. The wise kind that is seamlessly attached to logic and self worth. The kind that in the past, caused me to turn sharply at so-called authority figures and say, "There is no desk you can seat me behind. No telephone you can ask me to answer, that will allow you to speak to me that way. There is no paycheck you'll ever cut that can make me forget who I am. Know that." It was received with raised eyebrows, yes. But at the end of the day- everyone knew where they stood.

And that's really what it's all about, isn't it? Knowing where you stand. Sometimes you show others. Sometimes others show you. Once it is known, the proper moves must be made. I may not step as surefooted as a mountain goat or swim adroitly through choppy waters, but I know when to move accordingly. To my own rhythm.

I once read that the hero and the coward do not feel any differently at the moment of truth. It's what the hero does and the coward doesn't that defines who they are. I know this much to be true; I am not always equipped with the right weaponry. It truly is the strongest soldier that dares to die unarmed. Courage is only the second the second virtue of a soldier. Endurance is the first. I have fought the good fight and lived to write about it. And it would be impossible to soldier on- if I knew not where I stood.

"In the front line of this battle of mine. But I'm still alive."

~Sade Adu