Week 25: Nine Virtues: Courage

Related to Requirement: #1 – Nine Virtues 

Required Reading:  

 Our Own Druidry, p. 15 (Virtue, Piety and Study) 

 Our Own Druidry, 85-90 (Lore and Essays) 

Optional Reading:  

 "Warrior Virtues" by Paul Maurice <http://www.adf.org/members/guilds/warriors/ethicsvirtues.html>;  

 A Virtuous Life Nine Virtues study guide: <http://www.adf.org/members/training/dp/publications/dp-req1-nine-virtues.pdf>; 

 Oak Leaves issue #14, "Ethics of a Celtic Warrior" by Robert Barton 

"The ability to act appropriately in the face of danger." Our Own Druidry

“the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.” dictionary.com

It has become a trite thing: courage is not the lack of fear, but the movement forward despite it. Perhaps that is true. Perhaps it is simply a comforting lie told to each other to encourage the view that society’s warriors are a class apart. It certainly does not take into account all the forms of courage.

There’s the courage of the soldier on the battle field. But there’s the small courage of accepting that your body is lying to you and you need help to see your worth. The small battles of daily life determine your courage as much as the grand battles for life and limb.

In many ways, courage, integrity, and perseverance are all tangled up to the point of all being necessary for one to shine true. Having the honor and courage to display one’s convictions, the perseverance to live them.