Courage and Fortitude

Courage and fortitude have been a cornerstone in my journey with God and my path back home. Writing a website based on my personal experiences required courage — as does every step we take in building our spiritual virtues.

The pandemic of 2020 was one season where I had to draw on both. I often recalled my parents' stories of the Great Depression — food lines, endless uncertainty. While I never fully grasped the magnitude of their struggles back then, I found myself in a parallel situation, dealing with my own crisis. There were moments when I longed for their presence, just to talk about what was happening. Yet I also felt grateful they weren't here to experience the fear and chaos.

In those months I continued to go to work, kept praying for my family and friends, and pushed through the relentless waves of fear coming from every angle. God became my anchor — guiding me through the peer pressure at work, helping me uphold my moral values even when it was difficult. Courage wasn't just a choice; it became a necessity for survival and faith.

Through it all I learned that these are two different virtues that work together. Courage is the decision you make when something is right in front of you — stand firm or don't. Fortitude is what gets you through the next month, the next year, when courage alone has run out. I had to use both, and they showed up very differently in my life.

Courage: Standing Before a Kangaroo Court

While under five years of what I can only describe as a bullying situation at work, another coworker decided to pile on with a lie. When it was time for my bonus review, the owner called me in and explained that I was getting less because of issues raised by this coworker — issues I had no real chance to address. I looked at him and said: this is a kangaroo court. He had only heard one side of the story, and the verdict was already in. Whether they were all in cahoots or not, I will never fully know.

What I do know is this: I stayed my ground. I had my integrity. I had God by my side. And I continued on — through the less-than bonus, the mounting workload, and the pounding lies — without losing what mattered most to me. That is what courage actually looks like in ordinary life. Not a dramatic gesture. Just staying true, in a room where the decision has already been made against you.

Many of us carry the light of Jesus within us but fear job loss, rejection, or failing to conform. Standing up for what is right when it is unpopular — that is the acute form of this virtue. And it is never comfortable. But it is always worth it.

Fortitude: The Climb That Was Ridiculous

Fortitude is the longer version of the same virtue — not the single moment of decision, but the sustained endurance over months or years. I learned this most clearly on Cross Mountain in Medjugorje, climbing Mt. Krizevac before dawn on a Thursday in September. Boulders underfoot. Dark. The Stations of the Cross being prayed aloud by someone in a red shirt. And me, silently saying the same word over every rock: ridiculous.

It wasn't until Station 3 — when I finally stopped making the climb about myself and started focusing on Jesus — that the footing got easier. Not because the mountain changed. Because I did. That is fortitude: the shift from fighting what God has placed in front of you to accepting it, and finding that the grace was there the whole time.

My dad used to tell my sister and me: in a heavy downpour, slow and steady, keep on going. That's fortitude. It's not dramatic. It's just not stopping.

Developing Courage and Fortitude

Developing courage and fortitude is what I have been doing on this page — just writing and enjoying it. It's about being intentional in what you do. You may have to encourage yourself with small reminders that you have the ability to keep going. Set realistic goals and gradually increase the difficulty as you build confidence. If you need others around you for support, by all means — you may find your strength in sharing your goals with people who believe in you.

Embrace failure. I say that all the time, especially about this website. What did I actually lose by doing it? Along the way I have gained so much more than money could ever buy.

Try to figure out what scares you and why. Once you have an idea what's getting in your way — face it. Do it anyway, to overcome it. Small steps are important. I started this website two or three years ago with the basics. So many fears came up around writing, around telling personal stories. I had to overcome obstacles before I could move forward. The rewards have been great — I can see places in myself where I still need work, and others where I have genuinely developed.

Courageous people attract like-minded people. You develop deeper and more meaningful relationships. Resilience enhances your ability to bounce back more quickly and builds a stronger sense of self. These are not small rewards. They are the fruit of years of not stopping when every voice said to.

Carry this virtue into the Rosary and let the Mysteries deepen what you have found here.