There are two types of courage. They are physical courage and moral courage. Physical courage is expressed in the young, often by taking part in risky sports being involved in warfare whilst maintaining a belief of invincibility. This form of courage will diminish as we get older. Older people are more realistic and become aware of their mortality and will be less willing to take part in risky physical activities.
Moral courage is very different Moral courage covers a wide range of human experiences such as conviction to a cause , a lessoning of concern about what others think and an acceptance of life as it is with its inherent suffering and struggle. Older people are less concerned about criticism, being laughed at and are more capable of coping with physical pain.
As we age our moral courage actually gets stronger as we use life’s experience to deal with situations. Maturity helps us to accept our situation and are more honest with ourselves. We find it easier to manage our situation better even though our physical resilience diminishes our mental resilience grows. Of course there are always exceptions to these rules but as a general feature physical and moral courage are inversely proportional.
Peter Bull ( Author of the Get In Touch Series )