Your Dream Psychic

Courage

A few night ago, I watched a friend firewalk. She had never done it before, and her first attempt was for a charity. We were there for moral support, and now that she’s done it, she wants to get us all firewalking! I said I’d be up for it, cos I tend not to think before I speak. It didn’t occur to me that I might be afraid of the flames. This might be because I never quite believe anything bad can happen to me until it does, so either I’m unconsciously very arrogant, or just a bit slow! What would stop me doing a firewalk for charity then? I’ll tell you. I feel a bit peculiar about asking people to sponsor me. It feels like asking for favours, and that makes me feel weak, or maybe I’m just scared people will say no.

Courage takes many forms.  The firewalking night was fantastic. Ken Livingstone, the ex-mayor of London was there. Ken’s always been a controversial character with avid fans and fierce detractors, some of whom turned up. Walking on hot coals with a joking crowd chanting ‘Burn! Burn!’ can’t have been easy.  And my friend? She was frustrated with her first two attempts, because they were too fast. The third and fourth time she did it, she was as stately as a queen.

The thing about situations that require courage is that they throw everything else in your life into perspective. In many ways this is the gift of fear; you learn what’s important and what isn’t, what you must face, what you can defer, and what is just a habit or a head game. You learn what you can depend on, and what you must either strengthen up or ditch for good. The learning part is key; our firewalking team had two and a half hours worth of training before they braved the coals (so please don’t you go trying it at home, OK?) But once you have learned,  it takes courage to act on your knowledge.

So tell me, whose courage has inspired you?

Copyright Debbie Gallagher 2009