We all know this childhood story. For generations it has been shared with young people to illustrate the need, importance and consequences of being brave enough to speak the truth, no matter what. An easy story to tell. Not always an easy action to take. It takes courage to speak the truth. Courage.
And that of course, brings to mind yet another childhood story involving a yellow brick road, a pair of ruby slippers and a desperate lion in search of his own bravery. We can relate, can't we? We've all had occasions in our lives when we too would welcome a mighty wizard with a medal that would empower us to stand up and fight the good fight. Yet, as this story reminds me and all readers, courage comes from within, not from without.
One of my mentors-from-afar as I like to call her, as well as being one of my favorite authors, poets and storytellers, is that phenomenal woman herself, Maya Angelou. She writes quite eloquently about this very subject. She says, "One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. But without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” For example, you can be kind, but without courage, one can only be erratically kind. Because what if, in the process of being kind, someone starts to question your choices, or motivations or recipients? What if someone threatens to do something to you if you continue to be kind? Unless you have courage, the urge to be kind (no matter how sincere) may die on the vine of "what will THEY think (or do)". But, with courage, one puts their convictions on the line and is consistently kind. Courage, a vital virtue indeed.
Thinking of virtues brings me to yet another story, another book and yet another author. I just finished reading a delightful and ravely reviewed juvenile book by Elise Broach entitled, Masterpieces. Broach wove a compelling and highly entertaining story of a young boy's friendship with an artistic beetle (yes, the insect). Using their unusual friendship as a foundation for wonder and suspense, she takes the reader with them to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where a commissioned forgery and a bungled robbery result in the loss of four priceless masterpieces. And what was the theme of these masterpieces? The four virtues of Fortitude, Prudence, Temperance and Justice.
It is the quintessential children's book - well written, thoroughly researched and ensconced in its story are timeless messages for all ages. Friendship is important. Without truth, nothing has any real meaning. Doing the right thing is rarely easy. And having courage makes everything else possible.
Of course, it might be easier if real life circumstances and challenges always ended "happily ever after." Yet, we all know only too well that is seldom the case. But if we look beyond ourselves we realize that the very people we hold in the highest esteem - those people we look to as role models for ourselves and the little ones in our lives - they all demonstrated great courage under very challenging conditions. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, the Dali Lama, Rachel Carson, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Chief Seattle, Gandhi. And that brave young man in Tiananmen Square facing that tank.
They did what was hard. They did what was necessary. They stood up. They didn't play it safe. They held fast to the truth. They were courageous. So very, very courageous. And we are all the beneficiaries of their courage and their bravery.
So, with a bow of gratitude to all brave people everywhere - from the little boy who called the emperor naked to the older woman who said, "you must do the thing you think you cannot do", I thank them each and all for their courage and convictions. They inspire me and remind me what life is really all about and what each of us is called to do everyday.
So, now I'm off to the shelves to find another good book, another great story and more reminders of what is truly important … the truth … and the courage to speak it. It is my intention to do so. You have my word on that.by Kathleen Ahern
Children's Librarian
published 11-14-09 in Moscow-Pullman Daily News
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