the root of the word courage is cor – the latin word for heart.
courage originally meant "to speak one's mind by telling all one's heart." over time, this definition has changed, and today, courage is more synonymous with being heroic.
the courageous elder is both…an heroic person who speaks from the heart. it takes courage to be a compassionate, visible older person in a society that holds the olders with what borders on contempt, certainly with little or no respect.
to be bold in telling the truth of our experience takes enormous courage. it demands a big heart, one that will step into its own place of fear and act from the deepest places of inner peace. whether we step into a protest march for what we believe or speak our truth to those we love, a big heart is often called upon to act.
and, like other aspects of our being, courage takes practice. this practice asks us to find our voice, a voice full of compassion and caring while expressing its strength and commitment. we can also grow our courage in quiet ways, finding the voice of calm and solitude in our meditative/contemplative practice.
we can find our heroic, truthful self in community. sharing together, knowing you are not alone in speaking your truth, makes space for our courage to emerge. not only that, finding a courageous community of like-hearted people increases the joy and fun of taking action, whatever that might be.
