I don’t believe I’ve ever been couragous a day in my life (or even have the ability to be), but since dealing long term with a mental illness, many people have claimed that for me. Supposedly because I talk openly about and, I guess, continue to fight. I don’t understand this at all. This feels more like a responsibility than anything else.
In my opinion, it means doing something spectacularly against the odds or anyone’s better judgment. Like the guy who married his fiance anyway after she’d had complete amnesia (and no, I have no idea how that turned out), but he said he still loved her anyway and was willing to try to see if they could forge something out of her new personality. Or, silly enough, in the movie Dark Water where Jennifer Connelly…
…sacrifices herself in the hopes of saving her child.
And that’s just two that comes to mind right off the top of my pointy little head. So, can anyone share their definition, perhaps even with real world examples? Maybe than I’ll understand a little better. Thanks much y’all.
To me, courage is facing up to your fears and doing the right thing. It isn’t just foolish risk-taking behavior, and it doesn’t have to be spectacularly against the odds. And it shouldn’t (usually) be against anyone’s better judgment.
If doing the thing is something good or right that you are afraid of doing, but you it anyway, that’s courage.
courage is not giving into fear. You could easily retreat into a cloistered environment, like a mental hospital, and let others take care of you. But you choose to persue everyday life to the best of your ability, in spite of the obsticles (that looks misspelled, sorry).
part of courage is extremely dependent on the task at hand. for example, ordering chicken wings at a chinese buffet might not be smart, but i wouldn’t throw it in the realm of being “courageous”. many might differ with me, but a fireman going into a burning building isn’t NECESSARILY courageous…he’s doing his job.
a person, when faced with a situation in which they aren’t necessarily supposed to be there, performs a task that defuses the situation and doesn’t compromise himself (not necessarily physically) is a heroic person.
…yeah, that’s nice and cloudy.
essentially…a person that jumps into a burning house to save a person would be heroic. and yes, firemen/policemen are semi excluded.
…why do i think this point could be a mild hijack?
I think courage is choosing to do what needs to be done, when you can just as easily (or more easily, even) choose to not do it. I agree with your statement that firemen and police officers are not necessarily courageous, Least, because they are simply doing their jobs. Maybe becoming a fireman or police officer is courageous, because of what the jobs entail, but I wouldn’t call a fireman going into a burning building courageous.
But as usual, you guys have a much better way of saying stuff than I do and I believe I’m beginning to understand some. And thank you anyrose, that was very sweet. Although I doubt I’ll ever see that in myself, no matter what.
Huh. I can point to specific times in my past that I was courageous, one of the biggest was taking my life back from my parents. I think dealing with a long-term illness and not letting it get you down would certainly be counted.
The more frightened, intimidated, and freaked out you are, the more corageous whe you do it anyhow. Sprinkle in a little stoicism with your courage, and men and women alike will get watery knees when you show your face.
mika, I knew there was a reason I liked you. You’re so courageous and sweet. That’s also why I adore Twain, he’s such a bad ass at covering all the bases.
And jayjay, I wish I could think of a way to add the Bugaloo wisdom to the “Things That the 70s Taught Me” list. They were just too cool for words!
Beautiful Shirley.
Last but not least, what are you saying about my face Mr. Smith? Is that the same thing as running in fear or being offered a paper bag?
Oh no, I wasn’t at all, especially if you consider my most recent stint in one of them. Let’s just say that their Christmas banquet fare lacked something to be desired. I mean, I’m always afraid that I talk about it too much and might venture into OTP land.
That’s also why I adore Twain, he’s such a bad ass at covering all the bases. 
I mean, I’m always afraid that I talk about it too much and might venture into OTP land.