The Mystery of Courage - Essay Example

In my opinion, courage simply means believing strongly in my convictions and pursuing them even in the face of opposition from the rest of society. Courage is an important aspect of one’s character since without it; a human being fails to take major decisions and sometimes fails to take certain steps that would enable them to succeed in life. Courage has enabled me to access certain privileges which my less courageous counterparts have not had access to. There have been some events that have made me realize that I have a lot of courage.

It began when I was very young, and encountered a gang of bullies going about their business. They were a common sight in our neighborhood, walking around harassing the small boys. I was barely ten, had a small body frame, and was too weak for them. On that afternoon, I was taking a walk around the neighborhood when I heard a small boy begging for mercy in an alley. I met two boys running in the opposite directions and when I asked what the problem was, they told me “the clique’, a name by which the gang was known, was demanding cash from a small boy.

They advised me to run too since if the clique found me, they would most likely harm me unless I gave them cash too. I knew they were telling me the truth since the activities of ‘the clique’ were well known in the neighborhood and my parents had warned me against wandering too far away from home alone. I walked over to the alley where the noise was coming from and politely asked the biggest boy, who had his foot on the young boy’s chest, to let him go. They all stopped and looked at me, but the foot was still in place.

I asked him a second time in a polite and firm voice to take his foot off the boy’s chest, and with puzzled looks on their faces, he obliged. I actually saw them look at each other as if to try and figure out who I was. Then I asked them what they wanted, and they said money. I took a note out of my pocket and without another word, handed it to him. He took it then they started walking away, looking over their shoulders. They then broke into a run. I have had quite a number of other episodes in which my courage has come to my help, like the many times I have confidently told the teacher that the class was not following his lesson and that he should let us relax.

In many instances, the teacher actually changes the style of delivery or gives a break before resuming the lesson. I have found this very helpful in my academic life since I manage to make the teacher know that I am extremely tired or that the content is too difficult for my level, which then enables him to apply appropriate strategies in his teaching. Courage is therefore a great aspect, and I believe it is the strength that will help me achieve a lot of success in life. It is my belief that a lot of people do not achieve their aspirations because they lack the courage to take on their aspirations.

Looking back at all that I have achieved because of courage, I realize that a lot of human beings have not yet freed themselves from the bond of the group. Courage enables one to become an individual, to have the mental strength to follow what they believe is right without caring how the rest of the group will react. Thompson (15), in fact, states that courage is a prerequisite for one to achieve their goals and that it is also required for one to set meaningful goals. It is the aspect that transforms one from being a victim to being a decision-maker, something very evident in my life.

In class for example courage has helped me move from a passive student to an active participant in the learning process. Courage is therefore my greatest strength and has helped me achieve what I have achieved in life. I receive a lot of respect from both my classmates and the teachers because of the courage I display. The last time there was an election in school, a lot of people put forward my name and went on to vote for me, even though I did not campaign for the post. It is the courage I had shown in previous dealings that made them show such confidence in me.

Due to courage, I know I am ready to face the world even after school; not because I am cleverer than my peers, but because I have the courage to face the world.