The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXX

Di’Jon Sanders
Teresa Dawson Knoess, Teacher
James P. Timilty Middle School
For me, courage means managing my feelings and being inspired by others.
Being happy, managing my anger, and overcoming my shyness are all
important in order for me to stay courageous. I find that by actively managing
these three emotions, and by being inspired by others and their experiences,
I am able to be more outgoing, which in turn helps me to build my courage.
In this essay, I will walk you through these key emotions and how they support
me in being courageous.
When I think about happiness, I think of a quote from Tom Bodett. He said,
“They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy: someone to love,
something to do, and something to hope for.” I think that this is true. For
example, today was a beautiful sunny day. My mom and I went to the park, a
fun place to go. I was happy and I enjoyed the time spent with my mother.
When I think about managing anger, I think about a time when I was playing
my favorite video game to try to beat the final boss. It was too hard and I wasn’t
making progress. I had one life left, and then I died in the game. I was very
angry so I went to my room to try to relax. After a little time, I realized that it
was only a game and that I could beat it. I spent some time using my strategies
to change my mindset, then later on I played the game again, did my best,
and beat the boss in the game. Have you ever considered a test as a challenge
to be overcome, like a video game?
Shyness is really a state of mind that can be overcome by challenging your
inner thoughts and changing your perspective. When I think about shyness,
I think about roller coasters. One day on a school field trip, I was very
excited to go on the roller coaster ride. However, once I got on the ride,
and we were slowly moving up the track, I suddenly decided that it was too
high. Because I am naturally shy, I couldn’t express my feelings or ask to get
off. I was shaking with fright! I couldn’t stop shaking, but I told myself, “You
can do this! You will get through this!” Before I knew it, the roller coaster
was traveling straight down, and I was screaming happily with everyone else.
The ride was fantastic and crazy, and I felt okay, even proud. I wasn’t shaking
anymore. Courageously meeting a challenge is like a roller coaster ride.
Accept the challenge. Overcome your fears. You’ll be happy you did!
The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond
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