The Prelude to Courage

I have countless memories of my mother pulling me into her lap, regaling me with stories about heroic men; men who found the inner strength to overcome their fears, battled their demons and went on to achieve great feats. Fables of valiant men not only exist in all cultures, but are often an integral part of cultural traditions. So why are these folklore such an intrinsic part of our lives? Most would say that they give us inspiration to soldier on when one is afraid of what lies ahead. I don’t disagree, but this answer paints fear in a very unflattering manner. If fear is such a negative emotion, as indicated in our lore, then why did fear emerge as an emotion in any sentient being at all? The answer is obvious once you give the question a little thought. There is no courage without fear. Fear is the greatest motivator in the universe. Granted, it isn’t a healthy emotion always, and like all the other emotions, it is multi-faceted. But today, I decided to don my optimism like a crown before beginning to write about fear.

I have always considered fear a vital ingredient in the recipes of life’s greatest experiences. Most of our experiences would be bland without the flavor of fear added in. There wouldn’t be a sense of accomplishment on conquering a hurdle without the fear of failure pushing us forward. Each of our achievements in life are so near and dear to us because we chose to face our fears rather than succumb to them. But would they be just as cherished by us if we hadn’t been afraid along the way? All of my most memorable of escapades have one thing in common – they start with my heart palpitating so hard in my chest that I can hear the swooshing in my ears. The endorphins and the adrenaline high we accompanying a particularly thrilling experience wouldn’t be present in the absence of fear.

There is a much more basic reason for the existence of fear as one of the major emotions felt by all conscious living creatures. Fear is pivotal for the survival of any species. Without it, we would just be a bunch of suicidal beings, aimless and ignorant of the changes in our surroundings, uncaring of ourselves and our survival. Without it, we would be oblivious to any doom that might befall us. Without fear, we would be detached from our accomplishments. In the absence of fear the whole concept of Gallantry would collapse, a heroic act would reduce to just a mere unremarkable task. Men would not be provoked into building spaceships to explore exotic worlds in search of a better niche.

To me, a life lived with no regrets would be rife with moments of scary anticipation followed by momentous joy. Any voyage worth taking would make your heart pound and pump adrenaline through your veins. Know that, in life, if an opportunity invokes fear, it most likely is worth giving a second thought to.