A quality called courage
By Taru Bahl

HOW do you define courage? Is it the fearlessness of a warrior who lays down his life without a moment’s hesitation or regret, defending the cause of his leader? Would the spontaneous spunk of a child who jumps into a ball of fire to pull out his favourite doll qualify as an act of courage? Is it the fortitude of a young widow who battles with grief, property and a directionless future, while keeping her dignity intact? Is it the dauntlessness of the child who was born with ectrodactylism, ( a rare defect affecting only one out of 90,000 children born in the US), who proved his doctors wrong when they said that he could never walk or care for himself, going on to become America’s first physically handicapped tennis player? Is the gypsy’s motor cycle feat in the maut ka kuan daredevilry at its best? Or would you call the rash driver’s owning up to the police and victim, his dastardly role in an overspeeding accident, when he had actually managed to get away from the scene without leaving a trace of evidence, an act of moral courage?

The dictionary defines courage as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain etc with firmness and without fear. Add to this the courage of one’s convictions which enable a person to act in accordance to his beliefs, more so in the face of criticism, adversity and opposition.

Courage is generally associated with the ability to face up to enormous odds, especially on the battlefield. There is a direct co-relation between courage and integrity where virtues like valour, risk-taking and bravado hold centrestage. To understand courage in the present day context, one has to spread it across a broader canvas. According to the Oriental school of thought, a truly courageous person is one who renews the spirits of others and enthuses them with fresh courage to pursue the common course of action, while himself remaining centred and grounded. He may find himself amidst people who are erratic, shallow and cowards; in critical situations which appall and provoke his sense of fair play, but never does he lose his stability and sense of self. He does not compromise on what he believes to be correct.

He is centred because he does not lose his balance even in the midst of action. Like Hemingway said, courage is “grace under pressure”. He is not given to impulsive mood swings, passing whims and sudden excitements. By remaining grounded, he is down to earth, having gravity and weight, knowing where he stands and what he stands for. His courage is infectious.

History is full of examples of physical courage. Alexander and Napolean are names which spring immediately to mind. Closer home, you had Rani of Jhansi, Chattrapati Shivaji, Baji Rao, Subhas Chander Bose and Bhagat Singh, to name just a few. They had boundless natural courage, and always led from the front. Rather than get intimidated or bewildered, they would find a way out of the most dangerous situations. Their motto was ‘never to say die’. At the same time it wasn’t just physical bravery which preceded their actions.

Alexander personified cardinal military virtues such as physical courage as well as the mental qualities of a brilliant commander. Along with bravery, he had mastered his profession by knowledge and experience, which gave him clarity, confidence and flexibility of mind. All these valiant men knew the importance of thought preceding decision and then decision leading upto action. Today, more than ever before, is the need to create not followers who will carry out commands subserviently, but to build courageous partners in the common enterprise. These would be people who are motivated, enthused and passionate about their convictions and beliefs because that alone will allow them to lead a courageous, exemplary life.

A courageous person is like the spider who does not know how to give up. When the defeated, but brave, king loses a battle and takes refuge in a jungle cave with his enemies in hot pursuit, he is a sad man whose courage has deserted him. His self-esteem is shattered and he has lost the desire to fight and live. A broken man, he decides to spend the rest of his life in hiding, for more than his failure he is now shamed at his cowardice and inability to pick up the cudgels to reinstate his sense of honour and duty.

One day seeing the incy wincy spider struggling hard to weave its web, he fascinatedly observes her indomitable spirit and the deploying of different strategies as she tries again and yet again to complete the web. Inspired, he draws up a plan, reaches out to his band of faithful followers and equips himself to take on his adversaries and win back his kingdom.

Courage then has a lot to do with attitude, frame of mind and perception. You don’t have to be physically strong, tall and able to courageous. Everyone can wade through easy times. The real test is when one is confronted with obstacles, hardships and dilemmas. Fighters look at what is left, rather than dwell on what is lost. They know that prayers and wishes don’t come true. Beliefs and expectations when supported by conviction are what make things happen. According to the management guru, Shiv Khera, “the difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary is determined by an individual’s courage and character.

Courage is not absence of fear but the overcoming of fear. Character (justice and integrity) without courage is ineffective, whereas courage without character is oppression.” We all know the story of David and Goliath. There was a giant who was bullying and harassing the children in the village. One day a 17-year-old shepherd boy came to visit his brothers and asked, “why don’t you stand up and fight the giant?” The terrified brothers who had reconciled to a life of submission replied defeatedly, “don’t you see he is too big to hit?” To which David replied, “No, he is not too big to hit, he is too big to miss”.

It takes courage to be a real winner-not a winner in the sense of beating someone to pulp and establishing physical supremacy. Courage is about coming out on top by responding to life. For, it takes courage to experience the freedom that comes with autonomy, courage to take a stand in an unpopular cause, courage to choose authenticity over approval and to choose it again and again, courage to accept the responsibility for your own choices and finally courage to be the very unique person you really are.