|
在讀高中以前，我對勇氣下的定義通俗無比：勇敢地面對危險的狀況。爾後，我才明白，不光是面臨環境變化時要有勇氣，學習需要勇氣，主動嘗試某種新的學習技巧也何嘗不需要有勇氣。我知道，誰都害怕置身於某種全新的、未知的、或不盡然全知的情境下。一個有勇氣的行動，關鍵全在我們身上，和他人對勇氣的看法無干。所謂的勇氣是如何克服恐懼，例如去加入某個新團體；參與某項計劃；參加考試；研習艱難的科目，都是化勇氣為行動的好例子。
我們常給自己潑冷水，甚至在還沒碰事情以前，就先打退堂鼓，說這事我們做不來。我們會畏懼失敗，害怕丟臉。我們的自我意識太高，不願暴露在一個新的或無法掌握的情況下。除非得到成功的保證，否則我們寧可按兵不動。事實上，不是我們沒有能力做，而是我們往往被自己封殺了，如此一來那成事的可能性便微乎其微其微了。
勇氣，也體現在願意對不熟悉的事物，作更進一步的探索。比如，我有個朋友，她第一次在曼都仙諾學院上化學課，原本她無緣選這門課，是後來擴增名額才補上的，而且條件是一旦她修得不好，就得退出，把機會讓給能力夠的人。她從未修過化學，又聽說這門功課極其吃重。因此，她常害怕熬不下去。不過，她仍然咬緊牙關，全力以赴，終於辦到了。這個情況，在一般人眼中，或許沒啥稀奇，無需煩惱，不過對於正在接受試煉的人來說，其中的意義，只有他們才能體會。在這個事例中要把勇氣化為行動，就是繼續面對選擇與機會的挑戰，並且堅持讀下去。
還有一個關於我自己的例子。有一次，我有一份功課，必須在學期結束之前完成。這份功課難就難在需要將圖書館的書籍全部加以分類並登錄，而且還有時間限制。把所有的書統統輸入電腦，並不是不可能辦到的事；可是要我這個業餘「圖書館員」在不到一個月的時間裡交差，簡直是難如登天。光是完成輸入那些書就真要我命的，這絕不是件好差事。偏偏這門功課的分數就是由這份工作來決定。下個星期就是期末考了，壓力也來了，這正是考驗我在這個新學習環境中有多少能耐勇往前衝的最佳時機。
經過這一遭，現在的我終於學會敢和艱難的課題拼搏，一步一步挨蹭著往前學習新東西。我認為，能有多大勁，全仗著我們自己。我們也會因此認識自己有無足夠的勇氣來面對一切逆境。
如今的我明白了，不是我們不能成事，而是我們怯於冒險。在那個當下，正是我們需要鼓起勇氣的時候。
|
|
Before entering high school, I had always associated the word ‘courage’ with the most common definition of being brave in face of mortal danger. Over time I came to realize that to be courageous does not always mean being brave at facing adversity. It takes courage to learn. It takes courage to be motivated to learn a new skill. For I know that we all are afraid of being exposed to something new, something we do not understand or have a complete knowledge of. A courageous act is not what other people think is courageous, rather it comes from within us. The most important definition of being courageous is overcoming your own fears. Whether it be the fear of joining a new club, of becoming a member of a certain group project, of taking tests, or of studying difficult subjects, all of these are examples of courageous acts.
We frequently degrade ourselves by saying that we can’t do something before even trying to do it. We do not like to take chances at failure. We are scared of being humiliated. We are self-conscious. We do not like to be exposed to a relatively new thing that is beyond our comfort zone. Unless we are certain that we will succeed, we would rather not take the chance at all. More often than not it is not because we are incapable of doing these tasks, we are needlessly preventing ourselves from entering a situation that we are actually qualified to enter.
Being courageous also means that we are willing to explore further than what we are normally accustomed to. For instance, I have a friend who is taking her first chemistry class at the Mendocino College. She is on the add-on list, meaning that if she is not competent enough in the class, she may be dropped from the class to give space to another prospective student. She has never taken chemistry, and rumor has it that it will be a demanding class. Because of this she frequently thinks that she is not capable to continue the class. Nevertheless, she is still fighting for her position in the class. Although situations like this may not seem at all difficult or worrisome to us, it is very much so to the person who is in that situation. The courageous act in this case is to continue that battle of choice and chances, and stay with the class.
 Another instance I am personally having a difficulty with is the project I need to finish before finals. It is the project of categorizing and inputting all the books in the school library and around the building before finals. It may not seem impossible at all, just input books into the computer. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of books to be inputted in less than a month by an amateur “librarian” like myself is not something that I originally would have liked to get involved with. This is especially when your whole semester’s grade in that class depends on this. It is finals week next week. And for me it is more than that. I am being tested to see how far I can go forward in this new learning environment.
Therefore, I can identify with tackling difficult subjects in classes, and learning something new every step of the way. I think that how far we can go depends entirely on ourselves. Then we can see if we are courageous enough to face all the adversities. I realize now that it’s not because we are unable to do something, rather it is just that we are afraid of taking chances. And that is where courage comes in.
|
