The Olive Narrative

From where I sit as a counsellor, I have learnt that courage is rarely dramatic. It does not announce itself. More often, it appears in trembling voices, long pauses, and eyes that finally choose honesty over hiding. I read a quoted by René Brown: “There is no courage without vulnerability. How can you say you’re brave, and not put yourself out there?” and her words remind us of this sacred reality: courage cannot exist apart from vulnerability, because bravery is not about appearing strong — it is about allowing yourself to be seen.

There is a quiet strength in the person who dares to say, “This is where I am.” In a world that rewards composure and perfection, choosing openness feels like standing without armour. And yet, it is in this yielding that true transformation begins. Healing does not respond to performance; it responds to truth.

So many people believe that silence is dignity, that endurance without expression is virtue. But I have witnessed the opposite. Growth begins when the heart finally exhales. When someone gathers the courage to name their fear, their confusion, their grief — they step into a kind of unique bravery, one that trusts that being real is safer than being hidden.

There is an old wisdom that reminds us that unspoken pain cannot be tended to, that what remains hidden cannot be helped. In so many ways, this echoes the truth that vulnerability invites healing. When we dare to voice what weighs on us, when we allow our inner world to be named rather than concealed, we open the door for understanding, guidance, and restoration. Silence may feel safer, but it is honesty that creates the space where care can find us.

Vulnerability is not recklessness. It is a deliberate, prayerful decision to step forward in honesty. And in that moment, something beautiful occurs: the soul aligns with truth, and the path to wholeness quietly unfolds.

As a counsellor, I have come to see that the bravest souls are not those who never falter, but those who choose to show up — imperfect, uncertain, and human — believing that grace always abounds. 

May we have the courage to be seen, and in being seen, may we find healing. Amen. 😇