Dear Community,
Recently, my husband and I saw the movie Gladiator 2. I usually avoid movies with a lot of violence, but the historical value of this movie lent to my rationalization for watching it. One of the things that struck me was the portrayal of how the people of that day who found themselves in the "arena" fought with courage and dignity. They fought for their freedom and the chance to live a life of purpose and meaning. It made me think about how we can apply this same mentality to our lives and leave a legacy of valiant living.
What Does It Mean to "Live Valiant"?
To live valiantly means approaching life with courage, intention, and authenticity. It's about stepping into the fullness of our potential, even when faced with fear, uncertainty, or adversity. Valient living is not about being perfect or unshakeable; it’s about consistently choosing to move forward, strive for growth, and honor the value and purpose in ourselves and the world around us.
Taking on Life's Challenges
Life is full of challenges, both big and small. Sometimes, it may feel like we are thrown into the arena without a choice, facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But just like the gladiators, we have a choice in facing these challenges. We can approach them with fear, weakness, and defeat, or we can stand tall with courage, strength, and determination.
Finding Your Inner Strength
To choose the latter, we must tap into our inner strength. This may be easier said than done, as facing challenges often leaves us feeling vulnerable and weak. However, in these moments, we can discover how strong and resilient we are.
I Have Witnessed Valiance.
As Professional Healthcare Advocates, we witness profound strength in the people we serve. Most of these people face their health concerns head-on and often live valiant lives, fighting through complex diagnoses, a lack of medical support, and even a lack of compassion in the arenas they find themselves in. These are indeed gladiators.
Recently, one of our clients succumbed to a complex medical diagnosis and transitioned from us into her next life. She was a gladiator. Her courage was an inspiration to us all. And although medicine and science let her down, she fought tirelessly for her health, advocated for herself and her family, and never gave up the fight.
In 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt summed up the spirit of the valiant in his great speech.
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Keep Fighting
We are constantly reminded of the strength of the human spirit and the importance of being a voice for those who may feel unheard. Advocacy is a testament to hope, resilience, and the profound belief that every life is worth fighting for. Be valiant...it is a legacy worth leaving to the ones you love.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your team at Renee & Company, Inc and Scroll.care.
Stay healthy,
Renee Balcom
If we can assist you further, contact Renee & Company at 844-661-2369 or renee@reneecompany.com
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