What They Don't Tell You About Being Brave

They tell you brave looks like standing up.

Like a fist in the air.

Like a moment of clarity

at exactly the right time.

But I have been brave

and it looked like this:

showing up on a Tuesday

when I had every reason not to.

Sending the email with my hands shaking.

Saying I don't know

in a room full of people

who were pretending they did.

Brave looked like me

sitting in a parking lot for ten minutes

before I could go in.

Brave looked like going in.

Brave looked small.

Brave looked ordinary.

Brave looked exactly

like the thing

you almost didn't do.