Courage

I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. -Atticus Finch. To Kill a Mockingbird

Courage is everything. Maya Angelou said:

Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.

I do not agree with Ms. Angelou completely. I would change the wording. But no matter how I would change it, the underlying principle is true. Courage determines virtue. Are you being as virtuous as you ought to be? Yes? Good. I admire you. I really do. You are a strong person. Thank you for being who you are.
It is a common misconception that the presence of fear indicates the absence of courage. Such is not the case. The people with the greatest courage do not live without fear. In fact, courage requires fear to exist. Without fear there is no courage. And everybody has fear. Fear gives man the choice to be courageous.
 The strongest and the best men ever to live dealt with fear. Even the best man dealt with fear.
Jesus Christ. Our Savior. Our Redeemer.
It would be a lie, I think, to say that Christ wasn't sometimes afraid. Afraid to be tortured. Afraid to be crucified. God didn't make Christ without fear. Because Christ had to be a man too. Just like you and I. He couldn't be more than we are and still understand us. He couldn't be more and still atone for our sins. The plan of salvation doesn't work that way. He was one of us. And yet, he overcame fear. He overcame death. He overcame sin. His life and his work was a conscious decision, not a destiny set in stone. Christ too had agency.
Fear is of the devil. It is a tactic, a trick. Something to make us see our reality as it could be and not really as it is. It's an illusion. The devil laughs when you are afraid. He knows that he is winning. Because you're not seeing the world properly. You're seeing it through a series of maybes. Not as it is.
There are many ways to deal with fear. But one in particular that works very well, I have found. Do what you are told to do by people all the time.
Live in the moment.
I'm serious. Live in the moment.
Fear does not exist in the present. You are not afraid of right now. What you are afraid of is the next second. Or hour. Or day. Or year. Again. Fear does not exist in the present. Fear is a thing of the future. Remember that.
So have courage, my friends! Right now in the moment you read this, you feel no fear about now. But you do fear tomorrow. That's fine. What are you going to do about it? A defensive approach to fear is the worst thing you can do. You have to attack! Fear is a coward! Fear is afraid of you. It will back down every time if you challenge it. Go jump off of the high dive. Call that girl. Talk to that guy. Repent. Mend that friendship. Forgive someone who hurt you. Trust somebody who hurt you.
Live unbound.
Live unbound from fear.
Live unbound from the devil.
Live unbound from your insecurities.
Live unbound.

It's going to hurt you. I promise. But courage comes when fear does. And usually fear comes with pain. But with pain often times comes joy.
Find your courage. Make your mark. Defeat fear.
Then be happy. Feel free. Feel peace once more.
It's worth all the pain. I promise.
Love,
Dallin