Being Brave

The freshman album release of one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Amanda Shires (www.amandashires.net), is titled “Being Brave.” I love that title, I love that premise – Being Brave. I know Amanda from the days when she was just beginning to sing. She began as a fiddle player and it was fun to watch her “earn her chops” singing at small local venues and then move on to a full-time music career in Nashville. I’m sure it took Being Brave to pull off what she has accomplished. I’m very proud of the hometown girl.

Even though she has gone on to release several more albums with much better music I don’t think she will ever be able to top the title of that early work, Being Brave. I think about it all of the time. It was my theme when I first came out of the closet as a writer, it was my mantra when I was faced with seemingly insurmountable work goals and deadlines, it got me through my husband’s career crisis and subsequent move, and now, right this very minute, it is getting me through living in a new town and making a new start..

Being Brave. It is hard to do sometimes, but if Amanda can do it, then so can I. Thanks Miss Amanda Shires for being a good example and a damn good writer. Keep Being Brave and so will I.