I Found Fortitude...

Welcome Poetry Friday visitors! Thanks for stopping by the ridge today. Another exciting round-up is happening over at Tara's space, A Teaching Life, where you'll find lots more poetry fun!

The dictionary defines fortitude as "strength in the face of adversity or difficulty." People described as having fortitude are often admired for their courage, which is why fortitude comes from the Latin word fortitudo, meaning "strength".

I thought it was such a great word for so many different reasons. I guess you could say, I fell in love with the word, as writers often do.

Not only did I like how powerful the way the word sounded when I said it out loud, but it also made me think about how much I would like to be regarded as someone who embodies fortitude. This poem is my attempt to find fortitude through the simple act of listening and surrendering to all of nature's teachings.  

Invitation to Write:

There are some words that naturally have a way of sticking with us all the time. As writers, we keep list upon list of these words we hold dear. Think about some of your favorite words. What makes them special to you? Study the meaning(s) of the words. What do they mean to you? Try putting a few of these words together. Write whatever comes. You're sure to find what you were looking for. Words have a way of finding their way onto the page and into your heart.