I got for myself a COURAGE key nearly 2 years ago when my beloved dog of almost 11 years old started getting sick. He was my everything, my best friend, my savior, my baby. He left me in March 2015. Wearing the key gave me a courage to face life without my baby dog but also to do many other things. It gave me a courage to figure out what I want in life, who I am. To talk about my feelings, to stop running away from something good happening to me. To open up to men years after my divorce and to admit that I love someone. The key was always on my neck when, slowly but surely, I was breaking the wall I had built around myself not to get hurt again.
It was a long process. I got the courage to fight for someone special, let him know what he means to me and that I am ready for a serious relationship and building a real family with him. And also courage to say good bye to him whenever he was not ready for all those things I wanted.
I gave him my key. He needs it more than me now. He is a great guy but afraid to commit to anything. He had difficult life and there is no doubt that tragic events from the past made him who he is now. I hope that the key gives him courage to respect the past but move on and live in the now. The courage to believe that he is worthy of good things happening to him. The courage to open up his heart to a right woman and not afraid to love her. To give, not only receive. The courage not to care what people think or say and live the way he wants, becoming the person he wants to be. I won't be around to see all of these, but hopefully he will share his story with The Giving Keys.
As for me, I am moving on with a heartache. But proud of myself that I had a courage to talk about my feelings. My new word is BELIEVE.
-Anna
