Bravery

Today I was thinking about bravery. Now some may immediately think of a hero who rescues someone or perhaps someone in the military. And while those would be considered brave, I want to touch on an aspect of bravery that is often overlooked.

Yesterday evening the family cat died. It was a really sad thing considering she had been a part of our lives for many years. Earlier in the day I had let her go out. She had been wanting out more frequently, enjoying laying in the sunshine. When my grandson and I went to leave for karate class we found her lying on the front porch having what appeared to be a seizure. It was quite distressing and I knew then that she would probably die soon. My grandson, Jacob, began crying and then screaming, "No! Don't die, Zoe!" The pain he was feeling was evident. My heart was breaking, not only because Zoe was dying, but because Jacob was hurting. I got Jerry and he grabbed a box and put a blanket in it. He then put Zoe in it and brought her inside. I wanted to spare Jacob so I asked if he wanted to leave the room. With tears in his eyes he said, "No, I want to respect Zoe." So I let him stay with her. In a short while she breathed her last breath. Afterwards, Jerry and Jacob took her out by the pond and buried her next to our dog, Princess.

So why does this bring bravery to mind? My grandson did something many adults can't bring themselves to do. Despite the intense pain he was feeling, he stayed by Zoe's side to offer comfort and show his respect for a cat he loved just like family. He displayed a strength of character beyond his years.

Over the years I have known people to suffer from illnesses that left them unable to move and communicate. Many of their friends and family avoided going to see them because it was too painful for them to see the person like that. And I can understand how they felt. But wouldn't the courageous thing be to lay aside your own feelings and put the other person first? In a sense, this is exactly what Jacob did. He is definitely a brave young man.