NaBloPoMo - Bravest thing

Today's writing prompt:

What is the bravest thing you've ever done?

I really have no idea. Getting married? Getting divorced? Buying my house the first time - or the second, on my own? Going to college, then looking for a job? Dating? Or choosing to be single when everyone around me expects me to be dating? Changing careers? Or maybe it was asking my huge crush to the Homecoming dance senior year (he said no)?

Life is full of moments that test our courage. As you go through life, you realize that the things you once thought were difficult, were really not that bad. Remember as a teenager when everything was the end of the world? Then you got to your twenties, and the stuff you dealt with as a teen looked like a walk in the park. By the time you hit your thirties, you start to realize that the stuff you thought was so brave and wonderful in your twenties was really just a dry run for when life starts to get real.

Everyone is tested in different ways. Some of us are tested with how much family stress we can handle. Some of us battle health issues. Some have financial problems. Others have relationship issues. Some get it all (or at least, think they do). No one set of problems is greater than another. If someone seems to never have problems, remember - we all get what we can handle.

For some of us, the ultimate struggle comes when we're very young; others don't struggle with anything until we're much older. Usually, we think we know exactly what our greatest challenge could be, and we've got a plan in place to handle. Then, without warning, life pivots, and throws us something we never thought we'd have to catch.

When that happens, we have two choices. Fold under the pressure, and give up. Or make a decision that no matter what, we will survive.

So the bravest thing I've ever done is probably the bravest thing that every one of us has ever done:

I hit rock bottom.

Then I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and kept moving forward.