Choosing Between Fear and Courage: Let me tell you a story about a young man named Arjun who lived in a small village by the Ganges River. This village was peaceful, surrounded by lush green fields, tall trees, and the sounds of birds and water flowing in the river. The villagers lived simple lives, but Arjun felt that there was something more waiting for him beyond the village.
Arjun wasn’t like everyone else. While the villagers were content, he had big dreams. But something was holding him back—a feeling that made his heart race and his mind feel confused. Fear. Arjun was afraid to explore the world beyond his village, especially when he heard stories about two old, dangerous bridges that crossed the Ganges River. These bridges were not just ordinary bridges; they symbolized something bigger: the fears Arjun had inside him.
The Two Bridges: A Village Mystery
The villagers often spoke in whispers about the two bridges. The first one was called The Bridge of Doubt. It was old, made of shaky wooden planks that swayed in the wind. People said that anyone who crossed it started questioning themselves. They would begin to doubt if they were strong enough to do anything in life. Many villagers said that once you cross this bridge, you will never be the same again.
The second bridge was called The Bridge of Fear. It was even scarier than the first one. The ropes holding it up were torn and old, and the planks looked like they might break with every step. Some said the bridge was cursed. Others said that anyone who tried to cross it either fell into the river or was struck by lightning. It was a bridge that made people face their worst fears, and many had failed to cross it.
Despite all these scary stories, Arjun couldn’t stop thinking about the ancient temple on the other side of the river. People said this temple held the answers to life’s biggest questions. Arjun knew that to find it, he had to cross the two bridges. And so, even though he was scared, Arjun decided he would face his fears.
Facing the Bridge of Doubt
One morning, Arjun stood at the beginning of the Bridge of Doubt. The wind howled, and the river below looked dangerous. The wooden planks creaked under the wind, and Arjun’s knees felt weak. The villagers’ warnings echoed in his mind: “What if the bridge falls? What if I can’t make it across?”
But then, he remembered something his grandmother had told him: “Fear is just a shadow of courage. It only exists because you are stronger than it.”
Taking a deep breath, Arjun stepped onto the first plank. The bridge creaked loudly, and Arjun’s heart skipped a beat. But he didn’t turn back. “One step at a time,” he told himself. With each step, the bridge seemed less scary. The more Arjun walked, the more he realized something important: Fear is just a thought, a feeling. It doesn’t control you unless you let it.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Arjun stepped onto the other side. He was tired and nervous, but something inside him felt proud. He had crossed the Bridge of Doubt, and for the first time, Arjun felt free from his fears.
Standing Before the Bridge of Fear
But the hardest part was still to come.
Ahead of him was the Bridge of Fear, the one that everyone in the village feared the most. Arjun’s heart pounded. This bridge was old and weak, and the air around it felt heavy with tension. The villagers had warned him, saying that no one had ever crossed it without facing terrible fear.
As he stood before the bridge, Arjun felt the fear rise again. “What if I can’t do this? What if I fall and never come back? What if the stories are true?”
But then, he remembered what he had learned on the first bridge. Fear is just a feeling, and courage is about moving forward even when you are scared.
Arjun stepped onto the first plank, and immediately, the wind began to howl even louder. The bridge creaked and swayed under his feet. His mind screamed at him to turn back, but Arjun kept going. “Courage is not about being fearless,” he told himself. “It’s about moving ahead even when you’re scared.”
Each step felt harder than the last, but Arjun didn’t stop. The planks felt slippery, and the wind pushed against him, but he kept going. With every step, he felt stronger and braver. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Arjun reached the other side.
Read: The Clockmaker’s Secret: The Value of Time in Life
The Temple of Wisdom
When Arjun stepped off the Bridge of Fear, he felt a strange peace. In front of him stood the ancient temple. It was more beautiful than he had imagined—surrounded by tall trees, blooming flowers, and calm air. The peacefulness of the place made him feel like it had been waiting for him all along.
Inside the temple, an old sage was sitting. He smiled at Arjun and invited him to sit.
“You have crossed the two great bridges, Arjun,” the sage said. “The Bridge of Doubt tested your belief in yourself. The Bridge of Fear tested your courage. But you have done more than just cross these bridges. You have learned something important. Fear is not something to run away from. It is something you need to face. Only by facing it will you find your true strength.”
Arjun sat quietly, thinking deeply about the sage’s words. He had crossed both bridges, but more importantly, he had overcome his inner fears. The courage he found wasn’t in the temple or the journey—it was in himself.
The Lesson: Fear and Courage Are Choices
As Arjun made his way back to the village, he understood something important. The two bridges weren’t just about crossing the Ganges River. They were symbols of the challenges everyone faces in life. Every person has their own Bridge of Doubt and Bridge of Fear. It’s not the bridges themselves that define us but the choices we make when we stand before them.
Arjun had learned that fear doesn’t go away just because you ignore it. Fear is something we must face head-on. And when we choose courage, we unlock our true power.
When Arjun returned to his village, he wasn’t the scared boy who had been afraid of the unknown. He had learned that the greatest treasures in life are not things we find outside—but things we discover inside ourselves by choosing to face our fears.
Final Thoughts: Your Own Two Bridges
We all have our own Bridge of Doubt and Bridge of Fear in life (Choosing Between Fear and Courage)1. Whether it’s making a tough decision, trying something new, or facing a challenge that seems too big to handle—there will always be moments when fear will try to hold us back. But, just like Arjun, we have the power to choose how we respond to that fear. Will we turn back, or will we face it, step by step, with courage?
