As a young boy, Courage stumbled on a sharp rock as he was attempting to dive off a high cliff into the ocean below for his daily swim. The rock cut into his foot sharply, making him bleed and leaving a deep gash.
“I will swim anyway,” he thought, “as the sea water will cleanse the wound and help it heal”. And so he did. And the wound stung him, but it did heal, leaving a jagged line on the arch of his foot.
Courage liked to swim in the ocean daily. He approached the ocean with respect, knowing that its strength and volume was much greater than him, and feeling its great strength within him. The gash in his foot did not stop him from swimming, it reminded him to pay attention. Courage had learned that it is when we do not pay attention to the details that we hurt others as well as ourselves.
Courage grew up to be a strapping young fellow. Tall and lean and strong of body. Attentive, gentle and open in heart. Many of his friends and acquaintances admired his ability to face difficult situations and remain open in his heart and true to himself. They had a great deal to learn from him, and some of them did. Others felt his presence to be inspiring, and managed to imitate his actions while in his presence, but then, when he took his leave, could not muster the lessons they had observed.
As a grown man, Courage had conquered many difficulties: he had struggled with fear and realized that its worse enemy was laughter. He had fought evil and greed with the purity of his intention and heart. And he confronted sadness with love. Many wanted to know what his secret was, and to them he replied:
“It is my recollection of everything that is good in my life, my experience and memories of people I love and the happiness that I have felt with them. This provides a shield against the darkness that fear and evil bring”. And indeed it did. Yet many could not follow his advice.
Courage often had to remind himself of the scar on his foot. Of his willingness to dive into the ocean despite his injury, trusting that the seawater would heal it. He approached his life with intention and attention. Focusing on where he was in the moment and on what was just ahead, trusting that the rest would unfold as the result of his actions. And so it was in his life.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
This is just perfect for me at this time in my life.
I also think that I might to choose a different spot for my diving….away from sharp rocks!!!
This reminds of a quote I saw on a t-shirt from a Women’s Weekend Retreat…Feel the fear…and do it anyway.