Courage is not fighting a battle you cannot lose; it is fighting a battle you cannot win, because it is right.

The terms 'courage' and 'hero' have been used a lot over the past decade that I have been aware of a world outside of own limited experience. So much so that the meaning and depth of the words have passed out of knowledge. What is courage? Who are these heros? What distinguishes them from the rest of us who, while not cowardly, are not courageous; while not villians, are certainly not heroes? This is explored in many works of literature, both academic and popular with the victors exalted to myth and legend.

It would seem that most people ascribe to the Star Wars-esque version of heroism. Han Solo flies into battle--guns blazing--both he and the audience secure in his safety and victory since good always triumphs over evil. One can substitute the protagonist from virtually any mainstream film or novel and see the same basic structure. It stems from the western Christian ethic in which the meek shall inherit the earth. We can stride confidently into adversity because we know have divine approval and protection. Our self-righteousness gives us hope, but this is not the stuff courage is made of. How much character does it take to peform a task that cannot fail? We all face this kind of adversity every day, simply walking out the door. We are not heroes simply for the fact that even in our acts of philanthropy we have little to lose and everything to gain. Who among us has not felt a certain amount of pride and self-satisfaction when helping another human being in need? Notice that this is not cowardly or villianous, even though it is not courageous. These acts of benevolence are certainly admirable and show a certain strength of character and conviction that should be encouraged and practiced often.

However, even though their work is dangerous and often thankless, a police officer is not, by definition, a hero; a firefighter is not, by definition, a hero; a soldier is not, by definition, a hero. They may put themselves in positions of higher risk in the interest of protecting the public, but they have a very reasonable expectation of returning home at the end of the day. Courage is when a mother throws herself into traffic to save her wayward child. A hero is a firefighter who runs up the stairs of a building on the verge of collapse while those possessed with the will of self-preservation clamber over each other to escape.

Ultimately, being a hero is not a job one applies for. It is forged out of the actions one takes when all hope is lost. One can give up and accept fate, or face failure head-on and stand up for what one believes in until the last breath is drawn.