Courage

Have you ever considered how you would react when faced with an extraordinary situation? If a terrorist held up a gun and threatened to hijack the plane you are on would you:

a. Jump his ass and show him who is boss and save the lives of everyone on board. (Likely get shot and killed)

b. pretend to be oblivious to the situation and carry on reading the safety pamphlet; or

c. pray to god somebody else is gonna risk their life to save your sorry ass

I like to think that I have the courage and strength to choose option A, but when it comes down to it most people are gonna choose B or C. Why? 

Well why should you risk their life for people you don't even know? At most the media labels you a hero for a day, week at most. But your family, friends and children will suffer forever. Am I right to assume we are selfish beings despite our best intentions?

What constitutes courage? When Edmund Hillary embarked on the first accent of Mt. Everest was he courageous or just insane to risk his life, career and his family's future? When the three astronauts in 1969 left for the moon did they ever consider what if they never returned? These men were successful. Many were not. 

What is it that drives these people to overcome fear? Where do we draw the line between courage and stupidity?

I don't think anybody can answer these questions. However, I feel sometimes as individuals we need to step out of line once every so often, put down that safety pamphlet, and as the poet Robert Frost wrote, take the path less traveled by and sometimes that can make all the difference. 

wow that was deep :)