It’s been well said that cowards die many times before their deaths (originally from Shakespeare, Julius Caesar (II, ii, 32-37)). Julius Caesar did not fear death on the Ides of March.
I want to be valiant, I want to be fearless. I wish and pray for these things everyday. I do not fear my physical death, it is this other metaphorical death that I am worried about. Am I really alive here, writing?? I think the answer's yes.
I think it was a brave thing to do, to quit my job and change careers from a moderate stage in my previous career. But some days are worse than others. I do not have a death wish, so does that automatically make me a coward or not? What is the source of the cowardly death?
"everything dies baby that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back"
--Bruce Springsteen, Atlantic City
So if we take these two quotes together, does that mean cowards have another chance to come back and fight again, to try to be valiant the next round?
Yes, but they have to metaphorically die first, for their initial cowardice. Love, dreams, ambitions can die only due to not enough courage/faith. Truth is, that is all it takes - courage (i.e. to do the hard work) and faith, not money or a big fancy car (unless that is your dream or ambition I guess), house or novel technology.
Maybe someday, it comes back. How pray tell? Motivation, inspiration, imagination, or sheer will? I like imagination, I have a vivid one... :-)
