Courage Through Intention

I’m in Texas visiting family today. I feel blessed I have loved ones to see. It’s a stark contrast to those in the city of Uvalde who lost family members after the tragic events of May 24th at Robb Elementary School when a gunman entered and opened fire.

Many lives were lost. But not the lives of Angeli Rose Gomez’s two sons, because she rescued them herself that day.

Some people are saying it must have taken great courage for her to bypass the police who were trying to keep the parents outside. I don’t know how courageous she felt, but I sensed from her after-the-fact interviews it was clear she wanted to save her sons: She made a choice and acted courageously.

The English term “courage” is derived from the French word “corage” which comes from the Latin word “cor” or heart. One of the definitions of courage from Wiktionary is, “ability to maintain one’s will or intent despite either the experience of fear, frailty, or frustration.”

Angeli clearly intended to rescue her sons and did so despite any fears or frustrations she may have been experiencing. She showed great courage.

Clarity informs our choices. And when we lead intentionally, the choices we make invite courageous action.

This Week’s Challenge: Think of something you may fear doing or being. To become grounded in intention, ask yourself, “What choice or choices am I getting to make here?” Then, write down a short list of what is important to you about those potential choices. What clarity did you gain from this? And how might that clarity support you being more intentional and courageous?