Bravery to Me

     Bravery, is not just said it has sence of touch and feelings and the first thing that comes to my mind when the word bravery is said? For most people a war hero or a superhero comes into their minds. Probably every language has a word for bravery, but there is only one true meaning. The word bravery is "showing a brave spirit or courage" when hard times are thrust upon or happen to them. Bravery is not only what people do, but how they do it. The concept is also "showiness, splendor, and magnificence." Bravery may be shown in different ways: a person may jump from a plane or walk on fire to show that he/she is truly brave. Then again, sometimes bravery is something that a person has inside him or her and is never shown as an action at all it is kept inside.

     For thousands of years, people have used words that describe the concept of bravery. The history, or etymology, of the English word bravery as follows. The Romans who spoke Latin were warriors so it is logical they would have a word that talked about their courageous actions. This form of English was what was spoken in the 12th to 15thcenturies. From the Middle English evolved the English we speak today and with it, the word bravery.

     Throughout history, people have talked about the concept of bravery in many ways. The Greek writer and philosopher Euripides said, "The man who knows when not to act is wise. To my mind, bravery is forethought." Then, George II of England said that "bravery never goes out of fashion." Later, Francois de la Rockefoucould said, "True bravery is shown by performing without witness what one might be capable of showing all the world." Bravery has seemed to be an important concept or action throughout history.

    Francois de la Rockefoucould spoke about bravery, he pointed out an important feature of the virtue's true meaning. Then he made the distinction between people's private actions versus their public ones, he made it clear that people who do good deed only to get rich or famous are not brave. True bravery is helping people or animals simply because their actions benefit mankind. It seems that we often misunderstand this aspect of bravery and make the wrong people famous while forgetting about others who show bravery throughout their lives. And hard for everything they have.

    I don't know if I've shown bravery or not in my life yet. I haven't had any opportunities to save anyone or make a difference in the world. There have been times when I have stood up for my beliefs or said what I thought was right when it meant that I might not get to do something. I think I've been brave in these situations but to talk about what I've done and compare it to the actions of a man like Martin Luther King, Jr. is to compare apples and oranges, to make my actions greater than they were.