Courage

Here's to a productive and meaningful 2010.

I recently finished reading John F. Kennedy's "Profiles in Courage", the book he wrote while he was still a freshman Senator, and which also happened to win the Pulitzer Prize. After reading it I can see why. It's mainly an analysis of political courage, highlighting 10 Senators in particular. JFK profiles subjects from both sides of the political aisle, which is part of what makes this book so good and relevant. Aside from political courage, the end of the book features a section on "The Meaning of Courage", with some great quotes that I found particularly meaningful. Here are a few from JFK that I'd like to remember...

"It is when his regard for himself is so high that his own self-respect demands he follow the path of courage and conscience that all benefit."

"Must men conscientiously risk their careers only for principles which hindsight declares to be correct, in order for posterity to honor them for their valor? I think not."


"The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality."

"To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place and circumstance. It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all."

"In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience - the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men - each man must decide for himself the course he will follow."

"The stories of past courage can help define that ingredient - they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul."

The last quote is how JFK ends the book, and one of my personal favorite. An inspirational read, and especially interesting to any history/political junkies out there. While we're on the subject of inspiration, and great presidents, I'll end this post with another of my favorite quotes and one which has held sway over me since before I enlisted.

"I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: 'I served in the United States Navy." -President John F. Kennedy, 1 August, 1963