Courage

Courage is something that, in myself, surprises me all the time.

I cannot do heights. I might have touched on it in the last post...(can't remember) but it is really, really difficult for me to climb ladders or willingly go somewhere high int he air with a lot of space to fall down from.

As a child, I was also terrified to ask an adult for help. Like asking for directions to the bathroom, or where a book was in the library, there wasn't an easy way to get me to ask.

I guess I passed that on to my brothers. Whenever my mother would ask us to do something, but both me and my brothers were terrified to do it, the fear evaporated. Confidence condensated. Because I saw that no one else could do what needed to be done, I knew that I could step up.

I think that applies to superheroes too. I've studied the hero's journey plot in books, and it's the same thing. They are usually very reluctant to become the hero, to gain the superpower, to accept that they are in another world. They are afraid and for the life of them do NOT want to save the village from the rage dragon that is chomping on all the damsels in distress. But something changes when they realize that they are the only ones that can, or they need to because there isn't anyone else. They step forward, they become willing, and although they usually aren't rewarded for their heroics immediately, it comes.

Courage is setting aside the fear when you realize that you need to do something. It takes charge, it evaporates the fear like a puddle frying in the sun.