"You have to face life to live life." Of all the phrases said to me over the course of my life, nothing has been more true than those eight words.

We all have our battles that must be faced, some are of our own doing and some just pure happenstance. They are the consequences of some mistake that we made or they may be due to some doing on the part of another or they may be the result of something that just happens. In the end it doesn't really matter because we have a war that must be waged within ourselves. It is only through facing what comes our way that one can truly live.

The battles in our lives can weaken us, show how vulnerable we really are and in the end, show how strong we can actually be. There is a grace that comes with facing the truths that we are scared to confront.

Determination and the ability to face what comes our way is what leads to us being able to say, "I gave it my all, fair and square." You can't expect to win a battle by sitting down, arms at your side and waiting. The strength to fight comes from within and fight we must. There is no courage in waiting. Courage is the ability to confront your fears, pain and uncertainties head on, regardless of the outcome.

Can you face reality when someone treasured dies or when the dreams you had for your children are no longer realistic? Do you live your life with dignity and grace, your head held high, knowing you did everything possible? There are always bumps along the way and someone ready to knock you down. There are twists and turns that you can't see around. There is always an unknown, somewhere just up ahead.

Courage doesn't have to be rewarded with a medal. It's not found only in war zone, in a foreign country. If you look around, it can be found anywhere. It's in the single mother who works three jobs to feed and house her children. It's in the father who works a job he hates to support his family. It's within the teenager who has to face violence on his way to school every morning. It's in the parent who has to continue their life after the death of a child. It can be found within a spouse after losing their husband or wife after fifty years of marriage. There are heroes all around you. You just have to be willing to see.

Don't be afraid to be afraid, but be afraid of doing nothing. Keep your head held high, knowing that even if you failed, you gave it your best shot and that's all anyone can ask of you, including yourself.