Courage Vs Cowardice

This is something that has been playing on my mind alot lately

If you fear something confront it and still fear it, does that still make you a coward?

Courage is not the absence of fear, it is rather the overcoming of that fear.

Think about this...

Fear is a natural development of man. It ensures the continuation of the species by warning us to stay away or avoid danger. Thus only the mentally ill never feel fear.

When one feels fear and conquers that fear in their mind, making them able to act, to react, one can truly be called courageous.

John Wayne perhaps said it best.

"Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway."


Semper

Somtimes when you saddle up fall off and saddle up, time and time again your still S%^ scared of the horse.Mental block or not

Just a story...

I am absolutely terrified of heights...Fact..

I am also an avid Mountain Climber, Rappelling Instructor and Skydiver with over 125 jumps.. Why?

Because I am afraid of heights....

If I was not afraid, I would not waste my time doing all these things...

Of course you're afraid of the horse.. Remember..

No darkness, no light
No sadness, no joy
No fear, no courage

Semper

Your story is a parallel to mine.
Just different sports

Originally posted by semperfortis
I am also an avid Mountain Climber, Rappelling Instructor and Skydiver with over 125 jumps.. Why?

Because I am afraid of heights....

I have some fear of heights, but not much. I enjoy climbing, but enjoy Bouldering more, no rope makes it more exciting. The problem I have when climbing, is a distrust of my ability to make a knot, even if I double check before hand, and someone else checks. Only affects me right at the top of the wall, as I start to come down, as it tensions as I put my weight on it I have a little feeling of "it's going to break it's going to break it's going to break it's going to break".

Just recently got the confidence for trying overhanging bouldering problems as well, brilliant feeling at on those.

Edit: plus, medical science extends life expectancy all the time, you might as well try and bring it down a bit with sports Spend those spare years, you won't be able to climb when you're 90. Unless they make a fountain of youth, or really good VR...

[edit on 29-1-2008 by apex]

I don't climb as much as I used too... Age and Knees wont let me, but I still go at least once a year to either Table Rock here in SC or Seneca Rocks in WV... Always off season when there are no crowds of course...

I've done some "Free Climbing", what you call bouldering, but I love the feeling of hanging from a rope at awesome heights.. The fear combined with the view and of course the feeling of having accomplished something is amazing...

Thats why I rappel. Well that and I teach it at several boys clubs and still some swat teams...

Semper