Riley Rowe Values

When I think of the word courage the definition that comes to me is the way someone deals with their fear or problems. Webster Dictionary's definition has it as the mental or moral strength to venture, preserve and withstand danger fear or dificulty. Now at one time Courage didn't mean the same. It was first latin that ment more at heart, then it became a word in the Old French language and it also ment heart. From there it was then used in the Middle English and it was spelt "corage".

Theodore Roosevelt once said something about courage that i think really explains the word in many ways. He says,"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbleled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who's face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood, who strives viliantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievment and who at the worst if he or she fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his or her place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." That quote really sums up everything that couragre means to me. The way he explains how to attack anything including your problems head on and not to be scared of them.

In my fifth period English class we watched a movie called the Whale Rider that really portrayed the word courage. The Movie is about a Polynesian family tradition that has been done for many many years. A boy is born from a women and is chosen to be the "Whale Rider" but in this occasion there were twins a boy and a girl. The girl was the only one who survived but the one rule is that it has to be a boy. So they have a traditional trial to pick the Whale Rider. The girl has the courage to join secretly and learn what is needed to become the Whale Rider. She defies he Grandpa and her tradition to become what she believes she can become. At the end of the movie she becomes the Whale Rider and it just shows how much courage this one little girl had to get over these obsticles. Courage is not just a word, it is a moral way or attitude twords problems and fears that everyone should have. If you don't handle your fears and your problems head on then you are going to be living in fear for the rest of your life.

The websites that i found about courage were:

Courage.org- Courage center, empowering people with disabilities.

Campcourage.com- Daily summaries of camp courage.

Courageonline.com- This site show people how to have more courage.

Couragedistributinginc.com- Courage distributing.

Fastcompany.com- In search of courage.