Courage

I still live with my fears, they drag behind me like a ball and chain

finding my concealed courage coursing through my veins

didn’t make my anxieties disappear

but rather, it pushed me

to grab hold of them, to stare them in the face

with my broken, frightened self

eyes overflowing with compassion

courage told me it was okay to cry

and showed me that the strongest of us weren’t born that way

obstacles tear our muscles so they can grow back stronger

opportunity comes in the form of a mountain begging to be climbed

by downtrodden footsteps and heavy, shattered hearts

followed every step by trepidatious terror