Bravery

 What is bravery?
What does it mean to be brave?
Is it finally making that dentist appointment?
Is it facing down a bully in the playground?
Is it brave to go for that cancer scare scan?
Or maybe going to be told your HIV test results
Is it brave to be a policeman of fireman?
Is it brave to serve in the military?
Is it brave to kill our enemies?
Or maybe refuse to kill our enemies
Is it bravery to drive a racing car or super bike?
Is it brave to climb a mountain?
Is it brave to work hard and raise a family?
Is it brave to take care of the elderly?
Or the disabled, or the frightened
Is it brave to stop drinking and smoking
To come of drugs cold turkey

I have a problem with bravery
Being that in most peoples eyes
The opposite of bravery is cowardice
Is a conscientious objector a coward?
Is a man who runs from a fight a coward?
Is a person who commits suicide a coward?
Is a broken man a coward?
Is a depressed woman a coward?
Is a soldier suffering from PTSD just a coward?
Is a person who just can’t cope a coward?
Is a person who can’t quit their drug of choice a coward?
Bravery and cowardice are one and the same
Both cut from the same cloth
There is a lot of human confusion
Who is brave and who is a coward
It takes a lot of guts to serve in the military
It equally takes a lot of guts to kill yourself

We all have both in us
A brave policeman may be afraid of snakes
A man suffering from PTSD may be afraid of his flashbacks
Are they both cowards in certain situations?
Cowardice as a concept is a negative insult
It should be removed from our public discourse
Calling anyone a coward is wrong
It helps nobody, it cures nothing
It’s not tough love, no such thing
If you think that somebody you know
Is a coward, just think
In other areas he may well be very brave
In areas you may well be fearful of
Don’t call them a coward as you walk away
Instead give them a warm hug
And ask them if you can be of help
It’s not that difficult people
Wise up, love conquers hate