Courage: A Daily Necessity
July 24, 2024
There are certain words in the English language the meaning of which is only partially known because it has to be discovered through one’s own life and action. Courage is one such word. We may have a certain concept of what it means, but that concept is likely to be partial in its truth. As with all virtues, it must be lived fully in order to be fully understood. Nevertheless, let us attempt to explore the true nature of courage.
The origin of the word “courage” is rooted in the Latin word “cor” meaning heart, often used as a metaphor of inner strength. It is this inner dimension of courage that often gets overlooked, and yet is the vital essence at the core of its meaning.
Courage is an inner force, vitalized by love, propelling you onward and upward in the face of adversity and uncertainty. It is born of an inner realization that urges you to confront a limitation and surpass it for the greater good of yourself and the greater good of others. In this sense, courage goes beyond a basic predisposition. It entails the development of will, as well as a clear and noble intent.
“Because of a great love, one is courageous”
-Lao Tzu
What intent is nobler than universal love? This inspiring and vitalizing ideal feeds the fire that drives us to transcend our fears in the service of that which transcends ourselves — for the greater good, for the noble and the necessary, for the just and the true, for the beautiful and the right. In the simple and timeless words of the oriental sage, Lao Tzu, “Because of a great love, one is courageous.”
Regretfully, we often fail to recognize the daily necessity for courage in our everyday lives, regardless of time or place, regardless of age or circumstance. It is universal in its essence and yet diverse in its application.
It takes a great deal of courage to face our challenges, to admit to our errors and to take corrective action. It takes courage to affirm ourselves when faced with opposition from others. It takes courage to do what is right yet unpopular. It takes courage to be responsible. It takes courage to be selfless. It takes courage to express beautiful and deeply-held sentiments. It takes courage to persevere in spite of failure and to persist with enthusiasm. It takes courage to stop running from ourselves, to listen to the stifled voice of our inner genius, and to take another humble step towards realizing our deepest truth. It takes courage to let go of what was and to embrace what is to come.
Indeed, we may believe that courage is reserved only for extraordinary circumstances. In fact, it is, but only for those of who are sensible to the extraordinary nature of everyday life. Life, in its simplicity, is a grand adventure. Every day, and in the moments throughout, we must inevitably author the next passage in the great epic of our lives. Perhaps, today our battle is with our impatience, tomorrow with our dishonesty, the next with our self-doubt, and so on.
Every day we are called upon by life, often in a subtle and simple way, to take a humble step forward towards surpassing our fears and our limitations in the service of something greater. This calling echoes through an awakened sense of duty. Simply put, we are called to do what we feel and know ought to be done, and it takes courage to answer the call.
What about fear, you may ask?
Fear resides at the threshold between the known and the unknown, betwixt the charted and the uncharted terrain of our lives — both within and without.
Fear is the tenacious companion of every pioneer and adventurer. After all, every human being is a pioneer and adventurer in their own right, navigating through the uncharted terrain of self-discovery, self-knowledge, and self-realization.
“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore”
-Christopher Columbus
At the heart of all fear is the unknown, or the misunderstood. With courage and humility in our heart we can begin to look to the source of our fear and come to realize, through honest self-examination, that the root of our fear stems from our own ignorance. Naturally, we are ignorant of the unknown and unfamiliar. We strive in vain, through speculation, assumption, and prejudice, to fill in the gaps created by our own ignorance. We cunningly delude ourselves into believing that we have already secured all the necessary answers, providing us with a false sense of security. Yet, if we had all the necessary answers, what then is left to be discovered? If we have already charted and mapped every dark corner of our lives, what need is there for us to venture any further?
If we do not take courage, venturing beyond our comforts and beyond the boundaries of our current understanding, we will not experience the mysterious sense of natural adventure inherent in our everyday lives. As the saying goes, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. And this maxim holds true both within and without.
Certainly, for each of us, our own uncharted terrain is ripe with challenges. Yet, by conquering these challenges, victory gradually reveals to us the glory of our destiny — the full extent of our true nature, our human potential fully realized. After all, that which comes easily and is familiar has already been conquered. There is no glory waiting to be revealed there.
Still, courage does not annihilate fear. It does, however, pacify and transform it. The truly courageous person is well-acquainted with fear and knows its true nature. To them, fear signals the need to charge forward. It is the proverbial bugle call of the soul. It is a call to arms, indicating that the battlefield is nigh.
Ultimately, fear marks the junction point between what we were and what we are destined to become. It persistently reminds us of the necessity and inevitability of growth.
“He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
With courage we can meet the inevitable with serenity, pondering its lessons when it comes, getting from its severity needed strength and added courage, and so rejoicing when the battle is won.
Therefore, with courage in your heart, let love light your way through the uncharted terrain of your life. Let duty mark your path and be your guide. Let beautiful ideals inspire you to right action in spite of your fear. Trust in yourself and in life’s insistence. Take courage and set your sails towards the horizon. For a new world awaits your arrival.
