Courage is also keeping silent

Sometimes we believe that being brave means saying everything we think in an instant. But true courage rests on the good, not on venting. It can take courage to speak clearly; it also takes courage to withhold an ironic remark, not return an offence, or wait for the opportune moment. Mastering the tongue is not cowardice when it protects charity. Discipline is played out in quite ordinary things: the body, the schedule, and those small daily yesses. Often what matters is not spectacular: starting on time, cutting an excess, finishing something, or fulfilling an obligation even when you no longer feel like it.