{"id":4661,"date":"2013-10-18T19:34:17","date_gmt":"2013-10-19T02:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/coffeejitters.net\/blog\/?p=4661"},"modified":"2021-03-18T22:22:29","modified_gmt":"2021-03-19T05:22:29","slug":"fierce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/coffeejitters.net\/blog\/2013\/10\/18\/fierce\/","title":{"rendered":"Fierce"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fierce\"<\/a>I think sometimes fierce gets a glamorous image. It’s easy to think of finish lines, mountain tops, and triumphs when we think of the word fierce – but fierce isn’t the finish, it’s how you got there. Fierce is the long, lonely runs in the rain, months, even years before the starting line.<\/p>\n

Fierce is giving it your all, knowing there is no finish line. Do or die. For real.<\/p>\n

Fierce is defiantly holding your baby after the mastectomy, against doctors orders.<\/p>\n

Fierce is getting up in the middle of the night to change your infant’s diaper as your body reels from the chemo induced nausea and fatigue.<\/p>\n

Fierce is getting up the next morning to go back for another excruciating treatment. Day after day after day.<\/p>\n

Fierce is not passive; fierce doesn’t have time for pity parties.<\/p>\n

Fierce fights back.<\/p>\n

Fierce isn’t pretty, but it’s beautiful.<\/p>\n

Fierce is making difficult choices.<\/p>\n

Fierce is finding the courage to have a difficult conversation.<\/p>\n

Fierce is embracing your integrity, even when it makes you feel unloved.<\/p>\n

Fierce is knowing who you are, and being that person the best you can.<\/p>\n

Fierce keeps learning.<\/p>\n

Fierce understands that sometimes learning means un-learning what is no longer true, or even more painful, what you finally understand was never true.<\/p>\n

Fierce is understanding that cancer is not a shortcut to courage, or wisdom, or strength. You still have to do the work to gain and keep those qualities.<\/p>\n

You don’t have to have cancer to be fierce.<\/p>\n

You don’t have to have cancer to practice courage, or wisdom, or strength.<\/p>\n

You have a choice.<\/p>\n

You can be fierce.<\/p>\n

How are you fierce?<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

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\"bluewigpolaroid\"<\/p>\n

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This piece was written as part of the Clever Girls’ Collective Traveling Blue Wig Project. This project supports the Fierce Fund which will donate $20,000 this year to organizations that help girls and women. Check out their site and help select the Fierce Fund grant winner.<\/p>\n