Restoring Courage

Greeted by pleasure craft, the U.S.S. Constitution drops anchor at Marblehead, Massachusetts.

     The Navy went retro. It restored the U.S.S. Constitution to its 1812 appearance. Why did it choose that year?
     The answer is courage. During 1812, its crew defeated five British warships. The frigate earned the nickname Old Ironsides after cannonballs bounced off its hull.
     Courage earns respect. As a measure of evaluation, courage blows away wealth, success, appearance, and the shallowness of celebrity.
     While growing up, I witnessed a fight between two boys. A crowd of teens goaded them on. The bout wasn’t close. One boy, larger in physique, was beating the crap out of his opponent.
     Someone stepped forward, placed himself between the combatants, and demanded an end to the fight.
     I forever respected that person for having the balls to intervene.
     Courage resonates deep in our psyches.