We are all braver, stronger and smarter than we know

My profound apologies Eclipse — the Seattle city bus riding dog. You are not a he, you are a she! I happened to look at your story again after writing about you and realized my mistake.

A relative from your side of the state informs me you had to learn to cross the street safely and go down a block to catch the bus home. That where you are dropped off and picked up from the dog park is not the same bus stop. So you are even “braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” At least that’s the way it looks to me. You and that bear, Winnie, need to meet up.

Now this begs the question why I thought a dog of Eclipse’s savvy and boldness must be male. Because personally — and throughout history — I know of many savvy, bold females. I recently watched the movie “Harriet,” based on the life of Harriet Tubman. She escaped from slavery in Maryland in 1849 only to return — at tremendous risk — multiple times to the place she fled from, ultimately helping free seventy others via the Underground Railroad.

Harriet also held a key role in the Combahee River Raid during the Civil War — leading to the rescue of 750 slaves from South Carolina plantations. On a train trip to New York in 1869 she refused to move from her seat to the inferior smoking car — showing papers she was entitled to sit where she was. The conductor grabbed her, enlisting help from two passengers.

As she clung to the railing they forced her away, breaking her arm — throwing her into the smoking car with such violence she sustained more injury. All while other passengers swore at her and called for her to be kicked off the train.

Where does anyone get the sort of courage present in Harriet’s life? It’s more than I seem to have. What I do understand is sacrifice and bravery and determination and accomplishment have nothing to do with gender. These things in a person transcend such measures.

For all her 90 years (she lived until 1913) others tried to limit Harriet Tubman. They failed. Perhaps it was their very effort to contain and diminish her that set her free. Ultimately, her life purpose burst every constraint — grew far bigger than her one life.

Just knowing her story makes me “braver than I believe, stronger than I think, smarter than I seem.” These inspiring stories — be they he or she — are for everyone.