from photostar3.tumlr.com
Sometimes being heroic is as simple (and challenging) as accepting our role and stepping into the gap in the world and words we already occupy. Like FAMILY. Right in the middle of the word is the titular AM I. In reverse it's a declarative: I AM reliable; I AM kind; I AM support; I AM family. The list can, does, should continue.
But today we're talking about the inquisitive, the self-directed and demanding AM I? We'll keep it simple and ask/answer only 3 questions defined by the remaining letters in the word, F L Y. (Which in themselves create another word of personal challenge holding us accountable for whether we (that's you and I) allow, help, encourage our family to FLY - forward, faster, further.) Let's be brave like heroes and ask ourselves some important questions in relation to our respective families.
AM I:
Fair?
Loving?
Yare?
Of course, FAMILY doesn't have to mean by blood. No hero is heroic alone though; whoever stands by, shares with, and sounds alarms or sings praises for you is your family. At the very, very least, if you anticipate or even expect any of that from anyone, you owe them and yourself the respect of a cherished relationship. Now that's FAMILY. And that's heroic.
Heroes must ask themselves: through thick and thin, AM I family? Sometimes facing the answers is some of the most courageous acts we make. Sometimes we can be ugly and fail in our roles, even damage others by our lack of fulfilling our parts. Sometimes - to be loved - we must love and open ourselves to being loved.
Those are both scary choices to make, requiring heroic decisions be made. And that's today's call to action: will you ask yourself AM I?