'courage'...

After this week that nearly was... Christchurch in particular....I have been reminded again of the power of the French language. The word that comes to my mind is courage. Not our English 'courage' with a hard 'c' and a clipped last syllable but the French courage that lingers in the mouth and drifts slowly away in one long lazy exhale.

'Courage' is a powerful word in any tongue but when I think of it in the French context I think of it not as a lone word to describe spirit, bravery or valour but more as a comforting phrase. Courage is the word that can provide solace; courage is consoling like a familiar pair of arms that wrap you tight.

I first learnt the French meaning of courage during the dark hours before a best friend's death from cancer. It was an ugly waiting game with an inevitable end that would break my heart and induct me into the cruel world of grown up life. When a local French woman held me by the shoulders and whispered courage it was as if her strength and all of life's wisdom were held in that one soft word. Her courage was not only about resilience and sympathy but also about acceptance and facing the future.

For the people of New Zealand....courage....xv

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image - vicki archer