What is courage?

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Date : July 9 , 2007

What Is Courage

What is courage ? It may be the most desirable -- and the messiest -- human virtue . William Ian Miller wrote the book on courage , and even he calls it a mystery . The first story that he tells in The Mystery of Courage (Harvard University Press , 2000 ) is that of "the good coward " in the Civil War . The soldier resolutely marches into every battle -- and every time runs at the first sign of bloodshed . When each battle is over

, he returns and prepares for the next fight , resolving to do better . But he repeats the pattern again . Many Civil War soldiers were court-martialed or shot for desertion , Miller writes , but not this soldier "The coward was never punished " Miller says , because "categories like 'coward ' are not so easy to fathom

I define courage as a virtue that allows us to face real risk . Courage is a grand and noble virtue . Courage means strength to face danger or take on challenges . The Massachusetts Fifty-fourth Regiment was a courageous group of African-American soldiers who fought to end slavery in the Civil War . there are times in life when there is need of great heroism . When a man is called upon to take a stand against evil and fight with all his force against wrong . Such a time came to the late lamented John B . Gough , as he stood by the railroad with the phial of laudanum in his hand , ready to take his own life . And how nobly he fought against appetite , against poverty and disgrace , for half a century ! How he not only conquered himself , but carried inspiration to a thousand others , who , like him , were seemingly lost in intemperance In the romantic life of this good and useful man there was a marvelous display of indomitable courage such courage as all men need , to meet the exigencies of life . Such a time came also to the heroic woman , who married Mr . Gough . Modest , retiring , delicate , she chose the dangerous task of becoming a reformed drunkard 's wife , and for many years stood beside the temperance apostle , shielding him , encouraging him , inspiring him with her own angelic presence and triumphant faith

Without courage , all virtue is fragile : admired , sought after professed , but held cheaply and surrendered without a fight . Winston Churchill called courage "the first of human qualities . because it guarantees all the others " That 's what we mean by the courage of our convictions . If we lack the courage to hold on to our beliefs in the moment of their testing , not just when they accord with those of others but also when they go against threatening opposition , then they 're superficial , vain things that add nothing to our self-respect or our society 's respect for the virtues we profess . We can admire virtue and abhor corruption sincerely , but without courage we are corruptible

Courage is not always certain , and it is not always comprehensible . As courage demands great sacrifice...