Courage

On this Memorial Day weekend we set aside time to remember the men and women who have given their lives for their country. The bravery and courage of our fallen heroes will be mentioned in speeches, songs, and gatherings all across the country. In a culture steeped in action movies with larger than life characters portrayed by the likes of John Wayne and Sylvester Stallone, it is easy to imagine that the men and women serving in our armed forces are fearless; caring nothing for their personal safety as they conquer the forces of evil in the world. However, courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is fully understanding the peril about you and proceeding anyway to perform your duty. The brave men and women who gave their lives were not cinematic action figures, immune to pain, suffering, or terror. They felt fatigue, pain, anguish, and fear the same as any of us do. Despite all these very human feelings, they found the courage to perform their duty. I hope on this Memorial Day we will also find time to pray for the brave men and women serving around the globe. Every day, fully aware of the peril, they overcome their fatigue, pain, anguish, and fear to perform their duty. That is courage far beyond Rambo.