“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”
John Wayne
I watched a marathon of “Band of Brothers” episodes on Memorial Day. I’ve already seen the series several times but never seem to tire of it. The same goes for “Saving Private Ryan.” There is just something about courageous stories that I find inspiring.
I’m also humbled. Everyday men and women in the armed forces, in law enforcement, fire fighters, search and rescue, and similar occupations boldly step into situations that require courage, honor, skill, and determination —just to stay alive. While the most courageous thing many of us do on any given day is get into rush hour traffic.
I will admit that there have been times over the years when I felt I needed courage just to make it through the day. That is the way it is for many of us survivors. Yet, any struggle that I have had pales next to those who are in the real firefights of life in this world.
Perhaps we have, as Phil Gramm said, become a “nation of whiners.” I hate to admit it, much less actually write it. Think about the last 24 hours of your life for a moment. How much whining did you do? I know, I know, as a survivor you think whining is your inalienable right. I get it. That’s the way I’ve felt.
But I’ve learned in life that no matter how bad it gets, someone has it worse. In fact, you don’t have to spend very long sitting around at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center to figure that out. I’m actually very blessed right now. I have no cause to whine. But I’m sure before I lay my head down for the night, I’ll find something else that requires a few moments of some good solid whining.
What I could use instead, is some extra courage. Not because I’m going in after Private Ryan, but because I would prefer that courage characterize my life instead of whining. Nobody remembers the big whines of life do they? After I die, I think nobody will recall my best whining moments as good as some of them have been. Can you see a loved one at my funeral? I remember the time David whined for days and days about (insert subject of choice). He had such a wonderful whiny attitude about everything.
Now that I think about it, maybe I’ll write a book about whiners. I’ll canvas the news and come up with the best of the best. Then maybe someone will make a movie about it. How about “Band of Whiners” as a working title?
I don’t doubt that it takes courage to face some things in life. I don’t want to belittle the courage some of us manage in our everyday lives. For example, every time my wife and I walk into her oncologist’s office to learn the results of her latest scans, we need an extra measure of courage.
Furthermore, people daily express courage when they take an unpopular stand on their principles and speak publicly about them. Author Christopher Paolini said it well: “Many people have died for what they believe… the real courage is living and suffering for what you believe.”
In fact, now that I think about it, it took some courage for me to be a preacher. I didn’t think so when I first got into it. But over the years, I learned that the message isn’t always popular. And just so that you know, preachers down through the ages have both died and suffered for their efforts. Since I am no longer a preacher, I think maybe I don’t live with as much courage.
Sometimes courage is confused with recklessness. People do some crazy things in order to live on the edge. I would be careful about comparing the reckless actions of some with the true courage of others. Bungee jumping and saving Private Ryan can hardly be compared.
Also, let’s just admit it. Some folks are just plain nuts. That doesn’t make them courageous. Maybe John Wayne had a point — courage involves being afraid but moving ahead (saddling up) — as opposed to someone recklessly or foolishly putting himself in harms way.
Ultimately, I want to have courage for whatever faces me, rather than cower in a litany of whines. And maybe that is part of going from surviving to thriving—to move from whining behind the wall of The Fortress to openly facing the pain and puzzles of life with faith, hope, the strength of convictions, and … courage.
I just recently read this quote from Coach John Wooden, who just passed away at the age of 99 and is about to be admitted to another Hall of Fame (NAIA): “Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.”
He also said, “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”
So, let’s “saddle up” pilgrims… and make the best of the way things turn out. After all, that’s what God does for us (Romans 8:28). We might as well join him in the process.
Sure beats being part of the Band of Whiners.
