Leo Thy Name is Courage

Today is the very last day of the most underwhelming lion season in recent memory. One that featured a distinct lack of both bands and parades, a disturbing vortex of sparkling and a terminal glut of world stage life drama. A special mention to my lovely Leo pride of darklings, whose locked down birthdays royally sucked. It has been far less extra than most Augusts and far more taxing on our poor hearts.But stretch those hammering pacemakers it has, calling us to dig deeper and be braver than ever before. Leo season always reminds us that we too are lionhearted, our lives rising and falling in direct proportion to our courage.A curious virtue, courage is tucked into all of our hearts for just the moments we desperately need it. Courage is a converter, the strength that lies within us to face our fear and eventually conquer it, claiming our sovereignty and place in the pride.Our default setting seems to presume that we lack courage, an easy assumption to make when our knees are knocking and our trembling threatens to short circuit us. When all hope feels dashed and faith has caught the last bus out of crazy town. It is at precisely this terrible moment that courage rears its lion head and softly roars, gaining power as it finally inhabits its purpose.Your courage has saved you over and over again. It has been the whisper within that keeps you going and the untamed cri de coeur you didn't know you had in you. It has shocked and soothed you, appearing from within as welcome apparition and reliable friend. Courage is the cornerstone of overcoming and the bedrock of a life well lived and heart led.2020 has not been ponying up the regular goods, trading them instead for revolutionary blindsiding. The kind that calls us to arm ourselves with even greater love, vaster compassion and great vatfuls of courage. So today, this last in the lair of the lioness, I pin on your heart this medal. To remind you what always lies in wait behind it darkling, living in you all along.The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud. ~ Coco Chanel Image of the cowardly lion from the original Wizard of OzWords c. Kerrie Basha 2020