Bravery

"Do you believe in bravery?"

"I like to see it anywhere, in animals, birds, reptiles, humans."

"Why?"

"Why? It makes me feel good. It's a matter of style in the face of no chance at all."

--Charles Bukowsky, Women

Bravery. Man, as I ran around the park today, for the first time in a while, darting around the tree-lined paths, along the edges of "Danger, Thin Ice," I thought about all the brave people I know.

I thought, especially, of my friend, Ken Wheaton, whose book, "The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival" was just published. I met him for drinks last night, to return the lucky copy of his great, hilarious book that he had left at my house after a party I threw for him recently, a reading/gathering to celebrate his great success.

No matter the outcome, no matter how many books sold, it is a great success to write a novel. Believe me, I hope to get there myself. I am working on it. Ken is great. He is insistent, with himself and with me, that finishing is crucial. He makes it sound like it's easy. When I told him I hadn't been running lately, he just shook his head.

"It helps with the writing..." he said. He is so right. He ran a marathon. He wrote a book. Same thing, really, in the mind. I have not run a marathon, didn't even sign up for the half. I am afraid sometimes of setting and reaching such tangible goals. Of how I'll feel afterward. It is the reason, I told Ken, that I threw him a party.

Sometimes, when you accomplish a life-long dream, it is hard. Then, you have to think of what's next. You have to be brave, again.

Ken will be showing off his brave prose at the Park Slope Barnes & Noble Feb. 11 at 7:30. Check it out and check him out at http://kenwheatonwrites.com.