Once, bravery meant standing shoulder to shoulder with comrades, feeling the tremors of the battlefield beneath one’s feet, and locking eyes with an opponent before the fatal blow was struck. War was personal. It was intimate.
Then came the bow and arrow, allowing a warrior to kill from a distance, sparing them the agony of watching life drain from their enemy’s eyes. The sword was replaced by the rifle, which was replaced by the cannon, which was replaced by the bomb. With each innovation, the space between combatants grew. At first, it was measured in feet, yards, and miles. Today, it can be entire continents. A pilot launches a missile and never sees the faces of those who perish. A drone operator pulls a trigger from thousands of miles away. They go home, eat dinner, kiss their children goodnight, and sleep without the ghosts of the fallen whispering in their ears.
Some call this progress. Others call it cowardice.
We’ve become efficient at killing without consequence. We’ve perfected the art of taking life without feeling its weight. No need to stand before an adversary, no need to witness the terror in their eyes, no need to question the morality of the act. The machine does the killing now, and we only press the button.
We have taught ourselves to be better cowards.
But not everyone fights this way. Not everyone seeks the safety of distance.
There is still one who marches into battle without a weapon, without armour, without the comfort of steel or the reassurance of firepower. They go in with only their body, their mind, and their will. No gun to hide behind, no blade to thrust. They face the enemy with nothing, fully exposed, knowing that every strike will be felt and every wound will be real. They will not run. They will not cower. They will not kill from afar.
This is the truest form of bravery. Not the kind that hides behind machines but the kind that steps forward alone, unarmed, defenceless, and willing to face the full weight of war.
And yet, when people read SEETHINGS, they will not see it as a story of bravery. They will not recognise the courage it takes to walk into battle with nothing but one’s own self. They will see something else entirely. (Downloadable and free for a limited time)
The bravest one of all is often the least recognized. The most daring warrior is often the most misunderstood.
Perhaps that is the final evolution of bravery—going forward, despite knowing no one will ever understand what it truly means.
Discover more from Michael Forman – Author of Dark Fiction & Drama
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