52 Week Creativity Challenge, Week 5- "Guts"

"Guts" Photo taken on a Motorola Photon Q, edited in Google Chrome
by. S. Clark

"No guts, no glory."  "He's got guts."  "That was gutsy."

Guts are synonymous with courage, bravery, strength.  The ability to take a hit and keep on going.  We usually think of soldiers, police officers, paramedics and firefighters as having guts.  And they certainly do, in spades.  I was raised by a Marine who was deployed to Vietnam.  He made great personal sacrifices and he's got guts.  

But guts come in surprising packages and don't always involve physical danger.  

I know a sweet woman in her late 50's.  She is married to a pastor and wears embroidered cardigans.  She got her nose pierced.  She's got guts.  

Another woman left an abusive husband with two little kids. She was terrified that he would somehow get custody of those kids and she wouldn't be able to protect them.  She got a lawyer and a doctor and a psychologist to stand with her.  She got her kids.  She's got guts.

One man was in a severe accident that should have taken his life.  He broke nearly every bone in his body and has extreme chronic pain in his entire body.  He doesn't use pain meds because addiction runs in his family.  He's got guts.  

Little boys and little girls who disclose abuse to me or other trusted adults, sometimes after being threatened by the perpetrator to not tell.  They told anyhow.  They have guts.  

The adolescent girl who has panic attacks at school but goes anyhow.  She has guts.

My friend who started running marathons in her mid-30's? She's got guts.

My other friend is a military wife who has made 6 moves that I can remember.  She had two toddlers to care for while her husband was deployed.  That takes guts.  

My guts take many different forms.  I help some people leave abusive relationships.  I help children recover from abuse.  I teach people how to manage anxiety and depression.  Those are my professional guts.

I am a perfectionist and being unsuccessful is a good deal more threatening than it should be. So, I do new, scary things. I am learning to take pictures, exploring my artistic side more, writing prose more and writing poetry.  I am learning to let myself fail.  Sometimes having guts means I do nothing and that I am still. That I sit with my anxiety or distress.  Those are my personal guts.  

By having guts, we improve ourselves or we improve the lives of others.  It is worth it to step outside your comfort zone, to try something new, experience something terrifying. 

Have guts.