Courage
I may, at some point, manage to blog about our recently completed weekend away with the family. This thing could not have gone less smoothly without actually starring Chevy Chase and Bundle has just told me that we should never go on holidays again, but apart from that it was good.
Instead, there is a particularly well written passage from Robin Hobb's "The Mad Ship". I read this around 18 months ago and I have been meaning to put on this blog ever since, but the moment never seemed quite right.
Well, some time last week I was chatting to a friend who has had much better days than that one, and the subject of courage came up. Several days after that conversation, it occurred to me that the lines I am about to quote define courage about as well as anything I've ever read.
For those unfamiliar with Ms Hobb's writings, most of her books are of the fantasy genre, meaning you get the odd strangely named character, grumpy dragon or, in this case, self aware ship that can talk. However, in this particular case you also get excellent dialogue and some very finely crafty characters.
And, if you are the friend I was talking to last week and you happen to read this, I hope you find yourself feeling just a little better.
Robin Hobb wrote:
'Innocent?' He was incensed at her suggestion he was somehow responsible for this mess. 'I've done nothing wrong, I intend nothing wrong. I am innocent!'
'Half the evil in this world occurs while decent people stand by and do nothing wrong. It's not enough to refrain from evil, Trell. People have to attempt to do right, even if they believe they cannot succeed.'
'Even when it's stupid to try?' he asked with savage sarcasm.
'Especially then,' she replied sweetly. 'That's how it's done, Trell. You break your heart against this stony world. You fling yourself at it, on the side of good, and you do not ask the cost. That's how you do it.'
'Do what?' he demanded, truly angry now. 'Get myself killed? For the sake of being a hero?'
'Perhaps,' she conceded. 'Perhaps that. But it is definitely how you redeem yourself. How you become a hero.' She cocked her head and eyed him appraisingly. 'Don't tell me you've never wanted to be the hero.'
'I've never wanted to be the hero,' he defied her. Paragon was still cursing someone defiantly. He sounded drunked and rambling. Brashen turned his head, to stare at the ship. The yellow glow of firelight danced on his chopped face. What did this woman expect of him? There was nothing he could do to help the ship, nothing he could do to help anyone. 'All I ever wanted to do was live my own life. And I'm having damn little success at that.'
She laughed low. 'Only because you keep standing back from it. And turning aside from it. And avoiding it.' She shook her head. 'Trell, Trell. Open your eyes. This horrible mess is your life. There is no sense in waiting for it to get better. Stop putting it off and live it.' She laughed again. Her eyes and voice seemed to go afar. 'Everyone thinks that courage is about facing death without flinching. But almost anyone can do that. Almost anyone can hold their breath and not scream for as long as it takes to die. True courage is facing life without flinching. I don't mean the times when when the right path is hard, but glorious in the end. I'm talking about enduring the boredom, and the messiness, and the inconvenience of doing what is right.' She cocked her head and considered him. 'I think you can do that, Trell.'
Instead, there is a particularly well written passage from Robin Hobb's "The Mad Ship". I read this around 18 months ago and I have been meaning to put on this blog ever since, but the moment never seemed quite right.
Well, some time last week I was chatting to a friend who has had much better days than that one, and the subject of courage came up. Several days after that conversation, it occurred to me that the lines I am about to quote define courage about as well as anything I've ever read.
For those unfamiliar with Ms Hobb's writings, most of her books are of the fantasy genre, meaning you get the odd strangely named character, grumpy dragon or, in this case, self aware ship that can talk. However, in this particular case you also get excellent dialogue and some very finely crafty characters.
And, if you are the friend I was talking to last week and you happen to read this, I hope you find yourself feeling just a little better.
Robin Hobb wrote:
'Innocent?' He was incensed at her suggestion he was somehow responsible for this mess. 'I've done nothing wrong, I intend nothing wrong. I am innocent!'
'Half the evil in this world occurs while decent people stand by and do nothing wrong. It's not enough to refrain from evil, Trell. People have to attempt to do right, even if they believe they cannot succeed.'
'Even when it's stupid to try?' he asked with savage sarcasm.
'Especially then,' she replied sweetly. 'That's how it's done, Trell. You break your heart against this stony world. You fling yourself at it, on the side of good, and you do not ask the cost. That's how you do it.'
'Do what?' he demanded, truly angry now. 'Get myself killed? For the sake of being a hero?'
'Perhaps,' she conceded. 'Perhaps that. But it is definitely how you redeem yourself. How you become a hero.' She cocked her head and eyed him appraisingly. 'Don't tell me you've never wanted to be the hero.'
'I've never wanted to be the hero,' he defied her. Paragon was still cursing someone defiantly. He sounded drunked and rambling. Brashen turned his head, to stare at the ship. The yellow glow of firelight danced on his chopped face. What did this woman expect of him? There was nothing he could do to help the ship, nothing he could do to help anyone. 'All I ever wanted to do was live my own life. And I'm having damn little success at that.'
She laughed low. 'Only because you keep standing back from it. And turning aside from it. And avoiding it.' She shook her head. 'Trell, Trell. Open your eyes. This horrible mess is your life. There is no sense in waiting for it to get better. Stop putting it off and live it.' She laughed again. Her eyes and voice seemed to go afar. 'Everyone thinks that courage is about facing death without flinching. But almost anyone can do that. Almost anyone can hold their breath and not scream for as long as it takes to die. True courage is facing life without flinching. I don't mean the times when when the right path is hard, but glorious in the end. I'm talking about enduring the boredom, and the messiness, and the inconvenience of doing what is right.' She cocked her head and considered him. 'I think you can do that, Trell.'
posted by I'm not Craig at 8:31 PM
5 Comments:
Wow. As you know I am a big Hobb fan. FAbulous quote. Fabulous.
it's all there in that last paragraph. that bit about not turning away, not trying to avoid the messy, boring, and sometimes painful drudgery of life. why do we think we can take all the good bits, the joy, and then leave the rest?
it doesn't work like that.
thanks for reminding me of this.
x
watershedd
Wow, you're back. And with a new blog and everything. Follow that link, good people.
MG
Mostly, I posted it because I needed to remind me of it, but I'm glad you got something out of it too.
I've been too busy to comment but I loved your St Kilda post. Follow that link also, folks.
I've been following your blog inc, and I loved this quote. I need to redeem myself, get over wanting the good bits and get on with dealing with the messy bits and this quote has inspired me. Ta.
Jo
It seems like a lot of people I know are going through some pretty severe crapfulness right now and from reading your blog you seem to be having a rough time too.
I'm very pleased that this helped a little. I hope stuff improves for you. And rapidly.
Post a Comment
<< Home