Virginia’s definition of verve = Guts. Gumption. Courage to have at it.

Virginia had verve in spades at various times in her life, but these days hesitation has done something to her nerve, a vital requirement for verve.

Why hesitate? The question, “What will others think?” (a nerve blocker of calamitous proportions) usually tops the list.

Putting ourselves out there the possibility of rejection exists. When rejections pile up their weight crushes our nerve and verve to try again.

Another nerve-and-verve crusher? Apathy. Sometimes we put ourselves out there and there’s no response. We pour our hearts into our art (or whatever we are putting out there) and there’s nothing. Nada.

Sometimes it’s not our art, it’s us. We put ourselves out there for new relationships and BANG, the door of rejection slams in our face.  Or, once again, apathy leaves us feeling unsettled in our innards.

When our verve and nerve desert us it’s hard to keep on going – to be brave, to give it another go. (Trying again is verve’s specialty.)

It’s easier to wall ourselves into finite fortresses. Constrained by walls, our verve and nerve slip into stagnant pools of resignation. We isolate ourselves and give up on our dreams that demand verve and nerve.

But, here’s the kicker: If we give up, we will never know how far we can go. “Fall down seven times get up eight.”

Yes, people can be mean and unconscionable. Yes, rejection is painful. Yes, apathy hits us hard in our innards.

But, if we don’t try, we’ll never know how far we can go.

Thomas Edison tried 1,000 times before creating a workable light bulb. Madeleine L’ Engle received 25+ rejections before her now famous book “A Wrinkle in Time” found a publisher. That’s heaps of failure and rejection to manage.

But, they didn’t give up.

Here’s the deal. If your verve and nerve reservoirs are in low ebb at the moment, just do it. The next step, however small, take it. Let nerve and verve out of their finite fortresses, polish stagnant stuff away with courage, and try again.

Now is the time. Don’t give up. Learn from your mistakes. Let nerve strengthen your verve to KEEP ON GOING.

grace, peace & nervy verve

Virginia : )

“We have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are.” Madeleine L’Engle