Courage!

Many people, when they think of courage, imagine a fearless warrior in battle, charging at the enemy, overcoming tremendous odds, and winning a big victory. This is surely one kind of courage, but we don’t often see it in daily life. Most of us will never be in a war - and if we are, it won’t be quite so dramatic.

Courage means much more than fearlessness in battle. It is a quality of mind and spirit. It suggests a person who faces danger, unpleasantness, or opposition calmly and firmly.

Courage reminds us of George Washington and the cherry tree. When Washington was a boy, his father gave him a hatchet and George foolishly tried it out on a cherry tree in the family yard. When Mr. Washington saw his tree had been cut down, he asked George about it, who replied: “Father, I cannot tell a lie. I did it with my hatchet.”

George Washington showed courage at that moment, for he saw that his father was angry and knew that we has almost sure to be punished. He may have been afraid - he was human, after all - but he calmly faced the consequences of his mistake. The important thing was to tell the truth.

George Washington grew up to be a great general and the first President of the United States. He showed courage in battle and - by strength of leadership and character - kept his army together through a long winter at Valley Forge when the Revolutionary War seemed lost. In great things and small, George Washington was a man of courage.

So when your Martial Art teacher speaks to you of courage, don’t just think of wars and battles. Think of all the times in your daily life when you must stand up for your beliefs and defend yourself from others. You’ll see that you need courage every day!

What are some examples of everyday courage?