Courage is not the absence of fear, but is our personal assessment that something else is more important than the fear which confronts us. A life lived in fear is a life of bondage, while a life of courage is one which experiences liberty and freedom. More often than not that cost is not cheap.
Courage is a necessary ingredient for living a life without regrets.
It takes courage to make the right moral and ethical choices which confront us daily. Courage, acted out in our lives, watches out for the oppressed, speaks up for the weak, takes a stand against injustice and immorality and does so at our own expense. But the courage to take a stand against what is popular and easy, when required, is the key to experiencing a clear and uncluttered conscience. United States Marines are renowed the world over for their courage both in war and in peace. This fame and admiration which Marines have earned is based not on fearlessness, but on each individual act of bravery and the willingness of Marines to subbordinate their fears for a higher calling and a greater good.