Present Over Perfect

listening instead of talking. Brave is articulating my feelings,
especially when the feelings are sad or scared or fragile
instead of confident or happy or light.
Brave is walking away from the “strike while the iron’s
hot” mentality that pervades our culture. Brave is being
intentional about taking your marriage from “fine” to “can’t
live without you.” Because fine is not fine at all. Fine is like
a mesh sieve, enough space for all the important things to
slip through, and all you’re left with is to-do lists and
resentments.
It’s easier to be impressive to strangers than it is to be
consistently kind behind the scenes. It’s easier to show up
and be a hit for an hour than it is to get down on the floor
with your kids when you’re so tired your eyes are screaming
and bone-dry. It’s easier to be charming on a conference
call than it is to traverse the distance between you and your
spouse, the distance you created.
Sometimes being brave is being quiet. Being brave is
getting off the drug of performance. For me, being brave is
trusting that what my God is asking of me, what my family
and community is asking from me, is totally different than
what our culture says I should do.
Sometimes, brave looks boring, and that’s totally,
absolutely, okay.