Writing, any creativity takes such courage. More so for some of us than for others. When you attempt any bit of writing, you run smack dab into yourself: your doubts, your complaints and excuses, your convoluted thoughts–at least in my case my thoughts are extremely convoluted most of the time–your ideas that you think people will laugh at, your wild desires and timid hopes and grand dreams, all that you can’t fully believe will turn out. I might add that you face all of this in everyday life, and all along the way in life courage is required. When I think of it, it’s amazing that I get out of bed in the morning.
I was out of bed and making my first cup of tea and turning all this over in my mind (I do my best thinking first thing in the morning.), when the word dropped into my mind: Audacity. It came loudly and clearly, dare I say?–like a word from God.
My understanding of the word audacity was that it meant rudeness; it certainly wasn’t the type of behavior that I would want to exhibit. I took my questioning mind off to my grandfather’s enormous old dictionary to find the definition, and discovered my unfavorable view was skewed. The first definitions given for audacity in Grandaddy’s big Webster’s Dictionary are: Daring, spirited, adventurous. Who doesn’t admire those qualities? Yes, other definitions given are impudence and impertinence and bold in wickedness. It comes down to the motive behind the behavior.
Audacity is action on our part.
You can have plenty of courage, but it takes audacity to use it.
Audacity is courage in action, boldness in action, faith in action.
“. . .the first quality that is needed is Audacity. . . We cannot aspire to masterpieces. We may content ourselves with a joy ride in a paint-box. And for this Audacity is the only ticket,” the great Winston S. Churchill wrote in his book of essays, Painting As A Pastime.
Churchill spoke specifically to taking up painting in the later years (the age of 40 being considered later years in his time) as a means of dealing with the demands of life.
“In every artist there is a touch of audacity without which no talent is conceivable.” ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
The hopeful thing about audacity is that, like any behavior, we can choose it. We can take a deep breath and step out to try our idea, our dream, our desire.
And we get better with the behavior the more we do it.
Grace and peace,
The Loves of Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee. Three men want her, but only one can win her.
When the dust settled and Will Starr got a good look at her standing beside her yellow convertible, he believed he had made one giant-sized mistake. The woman was way too young and beautiful–and too much of a woman—to be stuck out on an isolated high plains ranch with three untamed Western men. Will attempts to send her packing, but Ruby Dee is not a woman easily daunted. Her life has been filled with trouble, and she believes in getting through, not backing down.
Curtiss Ann Matlock 
2 responses to “Choosing Audacity”
I love the word audacity. It’s just…rich.
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I have lived with a mistaken poor concept of this word. Studying it proves enlightening! Thanks for sharing the journey, Liz. XxOO
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