Yesterday while driving a stretch of highway I have travelled many times over the years, I felt a sense of foreboding as I became more and more self concious of the tractor trailers all around me and of the speed and pace of the other cars during points of passing. The more I thought about how narrow the four lanes were, how treacherous this particular section was, the more I could feel myself losing my nerve. All of a sudden, my own thinking became my enemy as I fought off superstitious dread while I continued to be alert to all of the movement all around me.
It made me angry that I was losing my nerve. I had never been afraid of driving before. Afraid of the conditions when they warrant fear which was the case the day before when we drove right into a snowstorm so heavy we couldn't see beyond the front of the van, I can understand. But, fear when it's not warranted? It baffles me.........
Today, thinking back on this unsolicited fear thing, I stared wondering about courage. How do you explain it? Where does it come from? Who do I know who lives a courageous life? What is a true act of courage?
Courage happens before our own thinking can catch up to the act. It is less of a cerebral activity than it is an act from the heart.
La coeur
Notre coeurs
I wonder if the word courage stems from the same place as the french word for heart?
Often it's only after an event when one has a chance to evaluate and take stock. Sometimes, it is so subtle we don't recognize it as courage until it is pointed out by someone else, or not. Courage is tied so closely with our personal values and integrity that we will do something based on our beliefs and no other rationale. Courage means trusting in oneself to be able to fight off cognitive fears, and to take a step outside of our comfort zone.
Courage is shown by reaching a hand out to someone else, by sticking your neck out to advocate, to protect, to defend, to save, to try, try, try.
Courage tests our beliefs...........it feeds hope...........it fosters community
What are your thoughts on courage?
8 comments:
Being SCARED of every freaking thing this quote is guiding me right now...."Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the realization that there is something more important than fear."
I am realizing......
Ditto. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the ability to walk through fear; to persevere despite fear; to accurately asses fear act take appropriate action; to not allow fear to paralyze. That is what courage is to me.
Most of the time, I am courageous.
i remember the heart stopping feeling of driving on the highway for the first time. then of driving next to a giant trailer. then driving at rush hour kolkata traffic ... of every decision, everyday, sometimes even walking back into work on monday ... the first class, first assignment in 7 years ... i think courage is not the absence of fear but riding it :)
According to my dictionary, the word courage does come from the French coeur; That quality of mind which enables one to meet danger and difficulties with firmness; valor.
In my opinion, courage comes from knowing who has your back (God).
What was it Roosevelt said: You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
i have to echo what mike has said on this one
Courage is the ability to stretch out of your comfort zone, to go beyond what you believe you are capable of doing, taking a risk when you may fail.
That to me is courage.
Hey everyone. I havent had much time in front of the computer screen these past couple of days....grabbing a couple of minutes here and there.
Love all your comments....thank you.
I too believe that courage is perseverance and pushing through the fear, not allowing paralysis.
Many people I work with in the frontlines show me courage everyday....they are the ones I think of......just getting up and getting through another day...fighting their personal demons and pain.....with unbelievable courage is quite inspiring.
Cheers......thanks for commenting.
Courage is driving on the highway, because being afraid while driving four-abreast with tractor trailers going 75 miles an hour is reasonable, rational, and sane.
Courage is to keep it together instead of having a panic attack, from which you would become paralyzed and unable to cope.
But really, given the chaotic behavior exhibited by our fellow Americans every day in every possible way all around us, why do we trust that all of the drivers will stay in their lanes?
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