Yesterday while driving a stretch of highway back home, where I had to pass a railway crossing, I felt a sense of foreboding as I became more and more self conscious of all the vehicles around me when the gates opened. Of the speed and pace of the other cars, rickshaw, cycles, bus, during points of passing. The more I thought about how narrow the road was, how treacherous this particular section was, the more I could feel myself losing my nerve when actually I pass it everyday, it was not the first time. All of a sudden, my own thinking became my enemy as I fought off superstitious dread while I continued to be alert to all of the movement all around me.
It made me angry that I was losing my nerve. I had never been afraid of driving before. Afraid of the conditions when they warrant fear which was the case when once I had to drive through a treacherous snow covered road, I can understand. But, fear when it’s not warranted? It baffles me.
Today, thinking back on this unsolicited fear thing, I stared wondering about courage. How do you explain it? Where does it come from? Who do I know who lives a courageous life? What is a true act of courage?
Courage happens before our own thinking can catch up to the act. It is less of a cerebral activity than it is an act from the heart.
Often it’s only after an event when one has a chance to evaluate and take stock. Sometimes, it is so subtle we don’t recognize it as courage until it is pointed out by someone else, or not. Courage is tied so closely with our personal values and integrity that we will do something based on our beliefs and no other rationale. Courage means trusting in oneself to be able to fight off cognitive fears, and to take a step outside of our comfort zone.
Courage is shown by reaching a hand out to someone else, by sticking your neck out to advocate, to protect, to defend, to save, to try, try and try.
Courage tests our beliefs, it feeds hope, it fosters community!!!
Courage is doing the right thing when the wrong thing seems to produce better results. Courage is doing what you were born for, against the odds. Courage is taking the first step. Courage is getting up to ride again after a really bad fall. Courage is standing up for your future when your past keeps knocking you down.
Courage is one more day.
That’s what I feel courage is all about.
***************************
****************
******
Wandering Thoughts 
Nice article.
Can’t imagine you being afraid of driving…. you, the super hero who has faced every kind of possible “situations” and “road experiences”…baapre…. ask your bike and cars , they will tell their own heroic stories…may be the doctors can too….hehehehe
Courage, it’s an enigma on its own… sometimes the most notorious and treacherous roads don’t make you lose it… but a simple trip to some inquisitive neighbors house can leave you with the biggest nerve attack…hehehehehe
LikeLike
Great article BT.Even I agree about that stretch.Its madness when the gates open.Hope the new fly-over will take care of this now.
Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow. 🙂
love
DD
LikeLike
nice article bhaskar scary though
but my own experience in life is courage comes to u automatic when u need it most
LikeLike
Nice writeup.. Courage comes from your heart because fear is related to heart.You need to overcome the fear to show courage.
LikeLike
Courage is that, what makes you to persevere against your adversities.
LikeLike
The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution, bravery, that is courage for me.
LikeLike
IT GIVES MY SOUL COURAGE
it gives my soul courage
to know
the impossible
is achievable
and i need
neither to be the strongest
nor the wisest
i need
only to be the best i can be
By lungelo mbatha
LikeLike
You know what Bhaskar.
For me, i always associate courage with you. 🙂
Very well written.
LikeLike
Very well said and written BB.
Facing everyday life with all its ups and down with a smile is courage.
You’ve said it all here
Courage is doing the right thing when the wrong thing seems to produce better results. Courage is doing what you were born for, against the odds. Courage is taking the first step. Courage is getting up to ride again after a really bad fall. Courage is standing up for your future when your past keeps knocking you down.
Courage is one more day.
LikeLike
I agree fully with what u’ve said,esp,teh last para…
“Courage is doing the right thing when the wrong thing seems to produce better results. Courage is doing what you were born for, against the odds. Courage is taking the first step. Courage is getting up to ride again after a really bad fall. Courage is standing up for your future when your past keeps knocking you down.”
Well said…I feel that courage stems a state of mind…The feeling and belief that we can reach our goal and more importantly,face the odds while reaching our goal.The goal might be a simple act of reaching out to a fellow human being ,doing something u feel is right when the whole world is against you or continuing with race after a fall.But it is the state of mind that nurses and develops this courage.And once the state of mind changes(due to superstitions,external influence etc) then the courage can reduce/increase deepnding on whether these factors have influenced a person positively or negatively.
I would also like to add that there is a very subtle difference between extreme courage and foolhardiness….When one shows extreme courage in the most trying situations and succeeds,one is defined as courageous and when one fails ,he is termed “foolhardy”…
Such are the ways of the world :)))
LikeLike
Thanks a lot Anitadi for this extra addition. Yes usually this is the usual way for extreme courage. You fail and you get branded as a fool. But the same task when gets success its courage.
When someone else’s son as soldier give their life for the country as a brave, we praise and look up to him. But when our own son expresses to follow the same, 90% of the time we ask him not to take such “Foolish” step. =))
LikeLike