Author: Julie H., Foster Mom
Miss D smiles, laughs, has fun, jokes around, has friends, is involved in sports, has a job, is involved with clubs, rides horses, and generally is an amazing kid. She has a joy of life and adventure that is beyond anyone’s expectations. When teachers or community members meet Miss D, they would never imagine that this amazing teen has had a lifetime full of struggles and trauma.
After much thought, I maintain that Miss D is the bravest person I know. At such a young age she has faced adult challenges…some things that even adults don’t have to deal with and live through. She is a survivor. How can someone who has been through so much still be so amazing? It’s through Bravery. It’s her ability to be “in the arena, and to be daring greatly”. Daring Greatly is a book by Brene Brown and she references daring people to be in the arena. The quote reads: “I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we sign up to get our asses kicked. We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time. Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”
Not having control of the outcome… is the ultimate summary of bravery for Miss D. She excels despite not knowing the outcome of her life. Her life is always “undecided” and yet she still shows up and does her best. She is brave. She is strong. She is vulnerable (with a hard shell sometimes). She is my daughter. How proud am I??? VERY.
