heroism

Calling someone 'brave' and 'heroic' when they're just doing what they have to do is patronizing to that person.

I know most people won't understand this, and may even feel insulted by it; but just because I am in a position to face making what seems to you a daunting choice, doesn't mean that I see what I'm doing as anything other than simply the next task in front of me in order to get where I'm going.

I have been called 'brave' a number of times when I've told people about some of the difficult journeys and choices I've made while facing up to some really old, extremely painful emotions.

Wow, that's brave, they'll say. As if I had any other choice.

What they don't understand is, the kind of person I am, the kind of life I want to live, requires that I take this step. It is not optional. If I don't take this step, I will not get where I am trying to go.

What they don't realize is, there's no other way to get there from here.