On Bravery

Recently, I've been confronted more and more with the idea of 'bravery'. This has happened frequently as I've come out of the closet as being bisexual, and as I've looked around at others who have, are, or will travel similar roads.

I've come to realize that bravery isn't something you have; it's something you do. One person isn't born objectively braver than another. To me, coming out as bisexual was terrifying, but also inevitable. There was no choice other than to be myself. In fact, I was taken aback when people started thanking me for posting what I did. People who, to me, had their lives so together and open that they couldn't possibly be feeling insecure or scared about themselves. People who I'd looked up to as models of bravery and courage. They were thanking me for standing up and doing something that they perceived as brave. Similarly, they probably had no idea how much I admire them for unapologetically being who they are. 

Bravery is in the eye of the beholder. An act which may seem almost flippant to you could be earth-shattering to another person. You went to the store today. You thanked your cashier. You bought some bread. In other words, you left the house. You interacted with a stranger you didn't know. You bought a brand of food you'd never tried before and didn't know if you'd like. Anything can be (and is) a mark of bravery when viewed through a different lens.

There's a saying I've seen plastered around Pinterest and Instagram and the like: "Don't cry, because you never know who's falling in love with your smile." The saying, taken literally, is pretty dumb - if a partner is going to stop loving you when you stop smiling, find a different partner. However, it does bring up a powerful point: you never know who may be admiring, looking up to, or caring about you for simply being yourself.

You are unique. You are, by virtue of being you, brave.