Today is Memorial Day in my country, a day when, like many other nations, we express our gratitude for those who’ve given their lives defending us. Traditionally, of course, this means those who died in battle.
And indeed it should.
But there are other kinds of heroes and other kinds of battles, as well. There are many ways of losing one’s life in defense of others. Unnumbered thousands of fire fighters and rescue workers have died saving people. So have police officers, teachers, missionaries, and volunteers. Even as I write this, health workers are dying fighting COVID 19, just as many died fighting cholera, SARS and ebola. They knew the risks and yet they risked everything.
So let us honor them all.
And finally, what better way to honor them than to ask ourselves, “Would I do the same?” and then to so align our values and courage as to be able to answer, “Yes”…
If that time should ever come.
φ
“Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.” ~Brodi Ashton
“Courage is found in unlikely places.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien
“Courage is…when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” ~Harper Lee
“Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” ~C.S. Lewis
“Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.” ~Mitch Albom
“My father told me once that the most important thing every man should know is what he would die for.” ~Tana French
Mitch Teemley 
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Reblogged this on Blue Dragon Journal.
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“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne
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Pingback: Courage Has Many Faces — Mitch Teemley | themomfred
Love it, Mitch. Nice piece!
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Thanks, Papa!
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😊a good tribute 😊
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Thank you.
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Stirring post 🇺🇸💚
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Thanks, Karla.
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You’re welcome 😊
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This is worth giving a deep thought.
Courage is selfless, looks into the unknown trying to see the end even more than the present.
A huge respect should be given to soldiers in all parts of life.
A good one Sire!
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Thank you, Salem.
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How concisely patriotic. Here’s to the hope that we all can offer our lives when called upon for the sake of friend and country
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Yes! Absolutely agreed with you. At times like this, they are the heroes who do not wear capes. 💐 Salute
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Very true! And I love the book that the Tana French quote came from…
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Tribute, thnx to share 🙏🙏
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Wonderful!
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What a deep thought! Write a book!!
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If I had to define courage I would suggest that it is preservation of life at the risk of one’s own life. When firefighters, medical personnel, police officers and military personnel risk their lives to preserve the lives of others, that is courage. But courage does not blindly mean following the directives of a leader if that leader acts without honour. Sometimes courage means speaking truth to power and refusing to do what is wrong even at risk to oneself. Many Americans can proudly be called courageous. Whether those that lead America have earned the same distinction is in doubt.
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