Vincent Van Gogh once asked: “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” On the surface it is a simple question. Life would be … boring, uninspired. In a personal context one might think of the word ‘anything’ merely as a routine or novelty entity such as taking a dance lesson, embarking on a home improvement project, or learning to drive a manual transmission. These things though, do not require too much courage. There are in life, however, so many things that do.
Courage is a personal quality which, in this era, seemingly exists out of scarcity. Many folks do not want to cause a stir or rock the boat and as polite Canadians, we tend to let things unfold as they will. Ever order a meal and not get exactly what you asked for? Odds are you let out a little sigh, figured getting it corrected was too much of a hassle, and you just carried on and ate what you received. Sound familiar? Perhaps we should call this the Scarecrow Syndrome?
What if courage was a trait that came from the mindset of abundance? This is where Van Gogh’s question really intrigues me. When I think of the range of human achievement from building pyramids to splitting the atom; from living in caves and hunting with spears to living in luxury condos and ordering take out on smartphones, we are, arguably, a capable species. We certainly can continue to, as we have proven in the past, achieve a level of cultural and societal greatness. Imagine what life might be like if we all had a little more courage and resiliency in our day-to-day witness.
During his preparations to embark on a journey in search of the new world, Christopher Columbus was admonished by a skeptical colleague who essentially questioned this foolish venture. Why Columbus would risk his life, leave the comfort of his home and family behind for some wild goose chase seemed preposterous. Columbus offered this inspiring rebuttal: “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” That statement truly is as astonishing as it is profound.
Metaphorically, we all have an ocean to cross. Yours might be getting through the loss of a loved one while a friend’s might be working on a personal fitness goal. Whatever the goal is … it takes courage to leave familiar territory behind and head off into the fog of the unknown or unfamiliar. Being at sea with no land in sight is a humbling experience which I have had both the joy and discomfort to experience. Columbus’ statement is at the heart of goal setting. Courage is required, in abundance, to reach the other, sunnier shoreline. It is a worthwhile enterprise to teach this concept to our children.
In July, I had opportunity to meet Sir Ken Robinson. His 2006 Ted Talk on the need to promote creativity in schools, now with over 34.4 million views, reminds us that our future success as a species hinges on fostering creativity and courage in our youth. He says: “All children start their school careers with sparkling imaginations, fertile minds, and a willingness to take risks with what they think.” Taking risks requires courage. “Courage, my word, it couldn’t come at a worse time,” write the Tragically Hip.
Better educational funding, better healthcare, better governance, and a better future are shores we all want to reach. This is why voting on Oct. 19 is one of the most courageous things you can do!
Tim Cusack is an educator, writer and member of the naval reserve.
