Courage and ANZAC Day 2012.

It was a beautiful calm day in Perth, Western Australia – a balmy autumn day in fact. While I was outside reading, the thoughts about the importance of this day to Australians came to mind. Not being born in Australia and not have any Australian relatives who were involved in any “Australian” wars I do not have any emotional attachment to ANZAC Day. Not that I decry Australian’s reverence of the Day – just that I have no attachment to it.

 I always wonder at the human trait of honouring those who are brave in war situations. I admire them and I too honour them. But why only war? I know that bravery in war focuses the attention on a brief window of time when witnesses may attest to the actions – above and beyond the call of duty - of a particular person, or group of people. This is as it should be and they should be commended. But people are brave not just in a war situation. And some people are not brave they are fearless – which is a different thing completely.

Someone who is brave has the courage to rise above their fears and, with their adrenaline flowing freely, often with what appears superhuman strength, and in the heat of the moment they perform their act of bravery. This is courage and an act of bravery that is very often a one-off situation. On the other hand someone who is fearless appears to have no feelings, no anticipation, no apparent understanding of any consequences of their actions. In fact they can be quite scary people to be with. More often than not they are young, reckless and one is never quite sure what next scrape they are going to get themselves into.

There are brave, courageous, people everywhere – but they are seldom recognised, certainly never to the same degree as in a war situation. For instance consider the “boat people” so denigrated by politicians. They show a high degree of courage – firstly in abandoning (or escaping from) their home environment, then travelling by uncertain means across land and sea to attempt to get to Australia. This is a journey, often taking many months, only to arrive at an uncertain destination to an uncertain reception and an uncertain future. Then what about children forced out of their homes, for whatever reason, and living on the streets, fending for themselves? They also show a great deal of courage – in situations requiring courage on a continuous basis for months, even years on end. Similarly a person who cares for a disabled family member – this requires courage on a seemingly never ending basis. The emotional and physical drain requires such people to, as it were, pick themselves off the floor, every day with minimal respite. A mother may sacrifice herself to save her child by giving food, or medicine she herself desperately needs. This degree of courage is seldom, if ever recognised but it takes place all the time. These people are not fearless – they are courageous – they are brave.

These are everyday life and death situations requiring courage and bravery of a high order.

Then of course there is the famous Bible quote (John 15:13) “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”