Prompt
What is courage?
Courage. It's definitely one of those things we associate with the in your face superheroes of our comics and cartoons. I think it goes a lot deeper and is less black and white than that.
I'll never forget the stories my husband told from his deployment to Iraq in 2005. It took courage for him to have to leave his family, to put on a strong face, to face the unknown. He'd see some things no one should see, yet he never once shirked his duty (not to say he didn't vent, but hey we all have our moments!). He said it was humbling when they had to care for some wounded infantry soldiers. He was always in awe of what they do, making sacrifices and doing things so others don't.
Seeing this buff, large guy wounded, from his words, it sounded like a sight where you wish you could help more. The man grabbed his arm with tears in his eyes telling him he was in awe of what my husband did. So, courage is one of those flip things. I was in awe of my husband for his strength to do what he did; he was in awe that I could hold down the fort, so to speak, with the children and "normal" life in situation as far from normal (although becoming more commonplace). You don't realize and most of the time deny you have it. Even an infantry man can be awed by the courage of a medical personnel. A lion can be wowed by the courage of a mouse.
I think courage is the acknowledgement of fear, yet you use it to make yourself stronger as a person. It inspires others to want to be stronger for themselves. To take that fear into an entirely fearful situation. I do think humility and a denial of courage is also commonplace for those who are the most courageous.
