Twenty seconds of courage

As part of one of our talks today we focused on a wonderful movie, We Bought a Zoo. It was about a man and two kids who searched for something to replace their grief from the loss of a wife and mother. They looked for something to unite them, excite them, to set them free from the heartache and sorrow.

The boy had a particularly difficult time with the dad’s decision to buy a dilapidated zoo and make it their mission to re-build the place and open it to the public. The boy was going through all sorts of changes while growing up, including trying to figure out girls. One day his dad told him, “Just give me twenty seconds of courage, and I guarantee you something great will happen.”

Amazingly, all of our Marianist high school students attending the Life Teen Conference were moved by this film clip. 

We all have had moments when we decided we couldn’t—we wouldn’t—do something. 

But there was one of our students who spoke about the experience to do something with his life. In particular, the student spoke about taking a mountain of boldness to do something of  monumental proportions. The courage and the conviction to do something can overwhelm us at times.

I’m sure there will be many more hurdles in this student's life.  

Twenty seconds of courage. Something great will happen. Maybe not on our terms. Maybe not even at the right time. Sometimes God calls us to do something great for him.

What about you? Have you given yourself twenty seconds of courage, repeatedly? I double-dog dare you to unleash your inner self. Something great will happen.