courage

January 30, 2009

Wednesday, the day of our second Oratorical Festival, was a day steeped in history, courage, and inspiration. A sampling of the great orators over time stared us in the face as we entered. Oding Muata, Middle School Art Teacher, created portraits with quotes of seven famous orators:

"Speak your mind, even when your voice shakes."
Maggie Kuhn (founder of the Gray Panthers)

"The name of the game is to talk to people. If you don't talk to people, you can't get started."
César Chávez

"As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
Nelson Mandela

"We are the ones we've been waiting for."
Barack Obama

"There are those who look at things and ask why. I look at things and ask why not."
George Bernard Shaw

"We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize."
Thich Nhat Hahn

"Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning."
Maya Angelou

Walking into the gym was like visiting a wing of the Hall of Fame of Orators. Immediately one knew that our event would not be conducted in isolation, rather it was a piece of the flow of history, as well as history in the making. It was also a tribute to past and current examples of courage, and an inspiration to future moments yet to unfold.

It was literally a history of courage on display for our audience and performers. In the midst of the program, I couldn’t help but marvel at the ongoing power of words to inspire actions. For example, when any of these notables gave a speech, had they any idea that school children, in a tribute to them and their ideas, would be willing to get up and speak in front of 400 peers and teachers? I doubt it. And I know that those same students who had the courage to perform will underestimate the ripple effect of their own actions: whether to inspire directly or to open the door for someone in the audience to become inspired down the road.

Deeper for me is that the courage we celebrated on Wednesday was in the embrace of taking on greater complexity rather than less. In the Hollywood-stylized version of courage it is invariably simplified: good guys and bad guys, good and evil, life and death. In reality, it often means a willingness to entertain confusion and more (rather than less) complexity. For example, one subtle aspect of courage is to entertain the idea that what we think we know for sure may not be the entire picture. In this instance courage requires, as a first step, that we take an honest look in the mirror and acknowledge what is reflected back: good, bad, or indifferent. Then, as a further requirement, we must take action on what we have come to understand. To understand and not act is a betrayal of the self—which is the stuff unearthed in therapist offices years later.

Therefore it is important to become familiar with the nuances and complexity of courage. This deeper understanding allows one to more often spot where it is needed and where it falters: whether with friends, making a decision, standing up for oneself, apologizing for a hurtful action, not speaking out, or speaking out.

These kinds of moments and conversations are both intellectual and character building. It takes brainpower and conviction to wrap one’s arms around some of the contexts, perspectives, and shadings of true courage. And it surely takes character to acknowledge shortcomings and take the necessary actions to rectify past transgressions.

At RDS, I believe we prize the complexity that is courage in the realms of intellect, character and action. In this way courage is viral, long lasting, and ever growing. Most curious of all, in the context of a school, we get to see how this quality is a developmental feat of huge proportions, and fortunately something that we get to witness frequently.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Mike