Daring Greatly

There is a quote from Theodore Roosevelt called ‘The Man in the Arena’….

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…

This speaks volumes to me, always has. I’ve been the man in the arena… Fighting with all I have to just stay alive. It sucks. 

Maybe you’re there today. With everything going on in the world, maybe you’re in the arena fighting for your life. You don’t know what tomorrow holds. Life has thrown you a curve ball, or another curve ball. You don’t know what you’re going to lose, even though you have already lost so much. You’re just fighting… And you are weary.

I understand. And I do not make light of your situation. Just because you may not show outward signs of trauma, some battles will leave you just as bruised and beat up on the inside as a fist fight.

I want you to know there is hope. Hope in tomorrow. Hope in the next day and the next day after that. I encourage you to be fierce. I encourage you to live life, even if it’s not the life you expected. I encourage you to not give up hope.

Maybe this time of social distancing will give you the ability to realize a dream you once had within you. Maybe you want to be a more present spouse. Maybe you want to be a better mother or father. Maybe you want time to work on the vision of your dream.

Take this time to dare greatly. Put in the effort and the work. BE that spouse. BE that parent. BE the dreamer of a better life. BE a better human. Your family, your friends and this world needs you at your best, fighting in the arena.

You are not alone. I’ve got your back. I’ve already prayed for all of you reading this.

Now go dare greatly! You won’t regret it!