Thursday, January 6, 2011

The face of courage (#706)

How is it that fear can rob us of what we would fight for without question? Often it is because we feel we are doing it alone and that the counterweight is heavily against us. That will never be true when courage is presented to protect or defend a principle of virtue. There are always those out there who would honor and protect in the same way. Sometimes it is easy to get lost in the confusion of circumstances that would drown out the point of emphasis. Many have much to lose when virtue is being protected or defended. It seems that what I have just said is absurd. Who would not be on the side of virtue? Unfortunately there are many of them who have chosen to be cynical and have taken another path to fulfill themselves within existence. Their virtue is not of shared value but of self-satisfaction at the expense of others. Self-satisfaction is not bad in itself, however it is if the method of attainment is harm to others. Courage, on the other hand, as an act of selflessness is never less than virtuous. Our natures of compassionate curiosity don't always lend themselves to reacting in a courageous manner. Building our foundations with virtuous principles does. it is a conscious effort that has to be taken on our part. We must strengthen our resolve, even at the real threat of our demise to stand on what it is that makes us who we are. That being our individual principles. It is easy for me to sit here and write about courage and what it takes to exemplify it. It is easy but it is also true. I find no courage myself sitting here telling anyone what they should do to be courageous, I only know what I do in the instances I have had to stand and be judged by my actions. I have failed by being cowardly and I have succeeded by being courageous. Possibly having experienced both I have the perspective necessary to at least write about what it took to present the face of courage.

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