A little bit of introspection

cour·age (kûr'ĭj, kŭr'-)
n.
The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery. (from the American Heritage Dictionaries).

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. (A quote from…well, I don’t remember which movie at the moment, but it is a quote.)

Amazing how we build up our lives of comfort and convenience, and lose out on what we might otherwise have gained by taking advantage of opportunities that test our mettle.  Olympian athletes might very well live by the motto of “no pain, no gain” at least in terms of pushing beyond their limits where the rest of us would say, I’m too tired today, I think I’ll take a break.  But perhaps on a more every day level, I think a lot about “nothing ventured, nothing gained”.  In most situations we have nothing to lose, other than pride, and yet still we often hang back from taking a risk out of fear.  The absolute worst that can happen with any risk is to fail…and what have we really lost if we fail?  Most of the time, we can always try again, and if not, the lessons that we’ve gained from that failure, and what it means to the people we are striving to be, are what we have won in spite of the overt failure.

On a lighter note, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m happy to see that a number of Olympians are crossing over into modeling on the side.  How much better role models are people like Gretchen Bleiler in a bikini with her snowboard, or Johnny Bloom, than the anorexic, surgically enhanced and unrealistic standard set by the models who blanket most advertising campaigns?  I don’t know about any of you, but my idea of beauty is far from what pop American culture dictates.  And while it was my dream for a long time to become an actor, specifically in musical theater, I must admit that at this point in my life, I am thankful that I chose another route.  Either I’d still be a poor, starving actor desperate for a lucky break, or I might have had a taste of the fame by now that seems to ruin every celebrity’s of finding true devotion and hard work in love, and balance of spirit…not to mention their perpetual dieting and exercise regimens to ensure their marketability to maintain their celebrity status.  (I’m generalizing of course, there are a few exceptions.)