A lot of what is considered "bravery" in everyday life is the result of desperation and exhaustion.  What people see as being brave usually isn't that at all.  In fact it could be a last act.

I was sitting at a stop light today, 4 lanes and a turn lane in each direction.  The car next to me did a little beep when the left turn light came on (and BTW are we so stupid that we now have to have flashing yellow arrows to tell people to NOT turn across oncoming traffic?".  At first I looked to see who was so impatient and the guy in te red car next to me was leaning forward over his steering wheel.  I though "Maybe the car died"  But he kept leaning forward and back and he looked concerned.  I looked at the back of the SUV ahead of him, thinking there was something wrong with it but I didn't see anything.  The car on my left, who had the green arrow didn't move, nor did the car across from him. 

Then I saw it, a little prairie dog running as hard as it could across the road.  Everyone on my side saw it and stopped.  the turn lane and the inside straight lane opposite didn't move.  The outside lanes across all started to go.  The first car in the second lane stopped short (the guy behind them didn't hit them thankfully) but teh two outside lanes drove through.  I watched in horror that the little guy ws going to be roadkill.  I hate seeing animals die.  The prairie dog stopped a little then started again, running under the first car.  I was sure the outside car would get him but we al watched as he emerged on the opposite side. (I went through that intersection later, He must not have tried to get back).

Was he (or she I don't really know, prairie dogs don't wear name tags) brave...or stupid?  I think he (let's stay with that) was tired of waiting where there wasn't any food.  So he went.  Is there a difference between brave and stupid?  The end result usually.

Did Rosa Parks decide she was going to be an icon for the civil rights movement?  No, if you read what she said was-her feet were tired.  She saw a stupid rule and consequence seemed less severe so she sat down.  Brave, yes, but she didn't plan on being brave.  Soldiers do things because they are tired of being pinned down or they see no other way out.  Very brave butnot what most plan on doing.

I hear Caitlyn Jenning is brave.  I hear that about me.  I appreciate it and I am sure she does too but we don't transition to show how strong we are.  We do it because we are tired, and desperate to quit hiding or pretending. We weave through traffic, dodging tires and hoping we get to the other side without getting smashed.  Some still call that stupid. That we should be happy the way we were.  Not crossing the street would have been stupid for me.  It wasn't bravery but necessity.

Caitlyn is causing discussions.  I will admit her bravery was going public when she could have done this all on the sly.   But we knew her bravery in 1976, she was a strong woman but we didn't know it then.  To me that makes that gold even bigger now.  So many of us hide and wait and hope it will go away.  Wondering why we don't understand how the rest of the world is.

I will accept your compliment and feeling I am brave...mostly my feet just hurt and I needed to get to the other  side of the street.