We Are No Longer Knights

And we no longer live in the days of old, where all virtues were measured by deeds and all reputations carved with a sword.

So how do we measure our virtues?

Generosity, loyalty, faith. Those are the easy ones.

How about courage?

What exactly is being courageous?

Courage is like loneliness. It has so many faces and wears so many different masks, it makes itself almost impossible to label.

Are people courageous because they bravely face anything and everything, constantly putting themselves out there as often as they can in as many ways as possible?

Could be. But that could also be fueled by insecurities, and those don't seem to quite fit the bill for bravery. Sure, being daring and adventurous is proving to the world that you're not afraid of anything, but does that make you courageous? Or does it just make you bold?

Is a person courageous because they deal with everything internally, going through personal struggles and strains of the emotions without showing a single sign of anything in their life being out of place? Are they courageous because they are brave enough to make their issues known without letting them impede on their habitual nature?

Courage is rhetorical. It's not meant to be defined or outlined. It's not even really meant to be perceived by anybody but yourself.

Do I feel courageous? Not really. Does it mean that I'm not? Who knows.

I've been told before that I'm tough. I've been told that I'm stand-offish. I've been told that I'm emotionally strong.

But none of that matters. Because courage isn't defined by the people around you, with their own treasured ideals and their own perceptions of your personal situation.

Courage is defined by you, and only you.

So here's my question for you:

Do you feel courageous?