If she were still alive today Rosa Parks would be celebrating her 100th birthday. She was, of course, the African-American woman who mustered the courage to say no to an Alabama bus driver who told her to move to the back of the bus and had her arrested. In doing so, she served as a spark for the civil rights movement. Though she was no doubt afraid, she did not give in to her fear and later said “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.”
Every day, as a psychologist working with people committed to conquering their anxiety problems, I have the privilege of seeing courage exemplified. I am allowed to see people face their greatest fears in the quest of a less confined life for themselves and their loved ones.
Today we still celebrate the life and bravery of a woman who used that bravery to change the world. Thank you, Rosa Parks, for the inspiration to be courageous when it really matters.
