Sandra Hults
Author
Fight Song
Inspired by: Fight Song – Rachel Platten; Rise up – Andra Day
Brought to you by: The Figment’s Weekly Writing Prompt
And I’ll rise up like the break of day; I’ll rise up, I’ll rise unafraid. So this week’s prompt was the word “brave”. This has taken a great deal of time and indecisiveness when this prompt was posted. The hilarious part is that this was a prompt I provided and I could not bring myself to decide what I wanted to say about it. I am still on the fence because when I put that word in a personal context; the meaning takes on a life of its own. The meaning to me is a wish to be brave enough to keep going no matter what. I rise up. Every.damn.day. I show up. I push. I keep going.
Brave is having the stones to step outside the little boxes we put ourselves in. The expectations of society; family; whatever floats your wee little boat; whatever your situation is that binds you and causes your stagnancy. I wasted a lot of time trying to meet the expectations of others rather than those I set for myself; rather than going after the brass ring I dream about. A lot of years passed before I learned that meeting other people’s expectations was not the path I needed to be on. Even now the words sound selfish; I needed to forge a path that was for me and not what everyone else required.
“O, that way madness lies; let me shun that;
No more of that.”
(Bonus points to anyone who knows that quote.)
So I learned, however painful the cost, I learned. In a way, I suppose, those growing pains fueled my writing. Many people would say this is just the nature of growing up and yet; I see so many people shackled to those same walls rather than knocking them down. Don’t misunderstand; finding that path is absolutely fucking terrifying but again; I learned. I learned I was a fighter. I learned that I can pick myself up by those bootstraps and keep pushing. Hurt like hell but I learned. Caused myself a lot of heartache; but I learned. What do the cheesy old “The More You Know” Commercials say…Never stop learning?
Trite saying but true. To this day, I suspect that was intended to push people to continue their educations and to a degree I agree with that point. To me though, I interpret the phrase to mean never stop challenging yourself to grow. Personally; professionally; whatever; but do not stop. Keep moving. Stagnant spirits die. Be brave. What makes you brave? Sound off in the comments below!
In non-writing prompt related nose…by this time Wednesday night we will be in Indianapolis enjoying GenCon. I’ll have a couple promo copies of Birth of Light; get a hold of me on Twitter.
Sandra Hults 