• Fortitude

    - Strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or
    adversity with courage.

    ---

    She was always smiling.

    No matter what they did to her, no matter what they said to
    her, she always smiled.

    They tore her clothes, stole her bag and ruined her books.

    Sometimes, they took her homework so that she had nothing to
    deliver to the teacher when the assignment was due.

    They laughed at her, spat at her, and pushed her around – but
    nothing seemed to break her façade, nothing seemed to
    penetrate that soft smile on her face.

    She was always, always smiling.