When I was dealing with chronic health problems some years ago my mom once told me that she didn’t know how I did it. She said she wouldn’t have the strength or courage to do what I did, which was to go on. She has been very ill for a year now herself. This past week was particularly rough and she ended up spending twenty-four hours in the hospital. Yesterday, she said that a year ago she expected that she would be healthy by now and back her normal life. Now she is facing the reality that perhaps she will have to accept a new “normal”.
I remember struggling with the idea of acceptance and hope when I was sick. I think that when you face an illness, or most any other great challenge in your life, you need to embrace a little bit of both. You also learn that courage has nothing to do with strength or weakness, it’s really just a choice: to do the right thing, to find the blessings in the worst of times, or perhaps to simply choose to go on.
Mr. bookbabie took the photo above. It’s of a baby crane near his office that fell out of its nest is now living rather precariously in a small tree. The mother is still caring for it and we hope that it can survive until it’s big enough to make it on its own. Isn’t it beautiful?
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow. ~Mary Anne Radmacher
bookbabie 
oooh… love the light in the soft down of that bird. Its like absorbing any light, any laughter possible, when you get dark and dry–even if we have to imagine it inside, that kind of light on the image above, it can some way heal us; or warm us.
Beautiful post and beautiful photo.
I’ve passed on a couple of blog awards to you, don”t feel you have to participate, just wanted you to know that I love your blog 🙂
Very good analogy. Life is fragile. We just don’t think about it when we are healthy and content. Pappy
You are so right about it being a choice.
Love the baby bird…hoping he makes it!
Wonderful posting.
Mr. Bookbabie got a great shot of that baby egret/crane. What a rare sight!
That is beautiful in its precariousness. I will pray for courage for your mom.
Bookbabie, you know I love that bird photo. What a sweet, fragile, funny-looking creature. Please keep us posted about its wellbeing. Sorry about your Mom. It must be hard for both of you. My father-in-law always says that “growing old ain’t for sissies.” Life is so fragile, we need to treasure each moment. It appears that you have learned this lesson well.
that’s a great shot. it’s as thought the sun has captured him, and is holding him there, supporting him.
Good, wise words–i remember when 2 different friends went through cancer, each of them at some point said “i just want my life back!” At the time i thought, “but this IS your life right now.” Simple thought, but since the fibromyalgia visitor has come, i understand their feeling! It’s taken me a few years to even begin to feel i CAN go on. It is surely a process, eh?
The beauty of that bird photo goes without saying….it’s wondrous!