What is Courage?

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What is courage?

What does it look like? And why on earth does the word ‘rage’ live within courage?

Courage so often can be seen as an image of a roaring lion or a mighty warrior upon steed ready for battle, but who would own courage if only lions and warriors owned it? That’s what I love about courage, it can’t be purchased in the grocery store, or quickly at 7/11 – it must first be understood and used so the cobwebs don’t have to be dusted off each time courage is needed.

I’m not sure about you, but at the thought of courage, or even at the mention of the word, I feel so inspired with passion and bravery. Yet when the situation or challenge rises to put courage in action, a lump rises in our throats and we feel weak at the knees… you are not alone trust me!

Courage in your marriage doesn’t have to look like a battle stand, it can be a soft word spoken in love, a put off conversation that you know will be hard. Or even a gesture of love sometimes take courage, especially if things are rocky.

When I first got married there were so many adjustments and natural things that came up. From big decisions like with where we were headed down the track, our daily habits we wanted to make and smaller things (which are actually big for us) like what we were eating.

Courage to bring up these issues undoubtedly brings conflict and uncertainty, yet conflict is as stubborn as it sounds; it demands resolve, and resolve leaves us with a clearer understanding whatever the outcome.

Yet one thing that I have learnt is that courage, is always taken best (whatever situation or person, marriage or not) when you have pure motives and speak in love. To be right in an argument, to make someone feel bad, to win a “battle” can never be enough and will never bring an outcome of peaceful loving resolve.

When I look back on every stage of our journey, especially the first year of dating. There were so many moments I am thankful for what courage to speak with honesty paved for us in the future. As well as so many moments I wish I had shown more courage, yet there is never any use looking behind us. It is never too late to show courage, to do the small things with a heart of courage is as great as a doing the big scary things with courage. Because it wouldn’t be called courage if it wasn’t scary or hard to face!

The word courage is actually derived from the French root ‘Cour ‘or ‘Coeur’, which means heart. What an irony, the root of the word and root of the action come from the same place and can build up that which it is built from. Courage to love enormously gives those the object of your courageous love a heart full of the same virtue!

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage” – Lao Tzu

Carly Tia

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Carly Tia