Courage vs Foolishness

All too often we tend to label certain types of people and certain acts as being courageous, but true courage is not inherit to any specific group of people, and while a person's deeds may seem bold the deeds themselves are not what determines how courageous the doer is. It is the intent and motivation behind the deed that makes the person who performs them courageous.

True courage is when you face your fears and brave peril not for glory or self-righteous aims, but to help those you love. Courage of the heart is very rare; the courage of the heart is when love motivates you to go to the ends of the Earth and beyond for the ones you love. True courage is when you put the well-being of others before your own safety, and you do so with love in your heart. The greatest form of courage is when you brave danger out of love for a total stranger. Love is the key to determining what is truly an act of courage and what is merely bold foolishness.

One need not even wield a weapon or wear a uniform to be courageous, for often it takes more courage to stand up and say NO when the rest of the world says yes to something which is immoral and unjust. It takes more courage to speak the truth in a world ruled by lies and illusion. It takes more courage to just be yourself when the rest of the world wants you to change. Anybody can shoot a gun, follow orders, or perform some daring daredevil stunt that endangers their lives, but it is only when love fills one's heart and motivates the performance of a deed to help others at the expense of your own health, security, or freedom that it is truly an act of true courage.

The truly courageous know when to risk life and limb, but even more so they know when to take a stand and defy orders and laws, speak the truth, and be themselves in spite of adversity. There is courage and there is foolishness...KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!