“Money lost, something lost. Honor lost, much lost. Courage lost, everything lost!” –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
What is courage? This is a question that anyone can answer quickly, but there will never be a standard answer. Not only that, but because everyone’s answer will be different, the whole concept of courage remains very mysterious. The aim of the Gamania Cheer Up Foundation is to encourage young people to work hard to realize their dreams and be themselves! This time, G! Voice interviewed veteran dreamers from Dream Island. The interviewees include Social Secretary – Ms. Li Li-chen, Executive Director of Taiwan’s Outward Bound Foundation – Liao Ping-huang, and the Executive Director of the Foundation – “Gary” Wang Min-Ch’i. We invited them to share their courage with the students.
Social Secretary – Executive Director of Taiwan’s Executive Director of the
Ms. Li Li-chen Outward Bound Foundation – Foundation – “Gary”
Liao Ping-huang WangMin-Ch’i
G! VOICE: As a Veteran Dreamer of Dream Island, What does courage meant to you?
Ms. Li Li-chen: This is a great question! For me, courage means embracing one’s goals and dreams and being brave enough to achieve them. Many people often say that today’s youth are like peaches, easy to bruise and unable to bear any amount of pressure. I feel that this is not the case. Many young people are very hard working. For example, I spoke with Jason Chen, who conquered the North Pole with Albert Liu and Kevin Lin. In actuality, he was just an athlete. He undertook this arduous journey just to challenge himself. He had to maintain his courage and prepare himself for the journey. This involved taking party in many different types of competitions, practicing English, public speaking, etc. He had to do this all himself.
Mr. Liao: Courage is challenging the impossible. It is the willingness to take a step outside your comfort zone.
Gary: Courage is something that people use to face challenges. It is a characteristic that enables us to experience the real world.
G! VOICE: What are the key elements of courage? How does it reveal its existence?
Ms. Li Li-chen: I personally feel that the key elements of courage include goals, the process of hard work and extensive preparation. You could say that it exists in all of us; it’s just a question of whether or not the individual triggers it or even uses it.
Mr. Liao: The key elements of courage must include heart, willpower and a drive to take advantage of, or even create, opportunities!
You could say that courage is everywhere. It exists in the heart as well as in one’s own willpower.
Gary: I think the essence of courage is daring without being rash and charging forward without hitting anything. Also, courage, this special characteristic, doesn’t require study to be achieved. We are born with it. It’s a like a gift from the heavens. (Laughs) That is why, no matter what problems we face, we must carry out our original purpose. That is courage.
G! VOICE: What do you think is the most courageous thing one can do in life?
Ms. Li Li-chen: This is an interesting question. My life journey has been pretty smooth. I grew up in the rustic countryside of Nantou. I got my university degree in Taipei. I got married and had children. My work has always been familiar to me. My original plan was to learn how to sing and dance after I retired. I never expected that in 2006 the New Taipei City Government would ask me to take the position of Social Secretary. It did take me a long time to make my decision at the time. Taipei is so large and there are so many people. Carrying out social work is no easy task. While I was contemplating my decision, a good friend said to me “If you have the heart, you have the power.” This sentence moved me and gave me the courage to take on the challenge. Now that I think about it, I do have a lot of courage!
Mr. Liao: When I was a junior in university, I had to take Freshman English twice, but I was still able to join the summer staff of the Boy Scouts of America. I worked for the Boy Scouts for two months and then went traveling by myself for 2 months during which I saw 26 states.
Gary：To this day I think the thing that requires the most bravery is getting married (Laughs)…What I actually want to say is that making promises requires a lot of courage. Actually marriage is a major step in a person’s life. Not only does your own mental state transform and adapt, but, even more importantly, you enter a new family. The rest of your life will be shared with your spouse and your children. If you don’t have any courage, you can’t say “Yes I do and I can do it.”
G! VOICE: Lastly, would you please share a short story about courage？ (Either one that you heard or one that you experienced yourself)
Ms. Li Li-chen: Let me tell you a story about one of the members of one of our children’s homes named Tsu-wei. Tsu-wei was born with muscular dystrophy. He has lived in the Bali Ai-Hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities since he was a child. Two of his sisters were also afflicted with the disease. His oldest sister lives in a different Bali Ai-Hsin home, but his middle sister passed away ten years ago. Even though he was dealt this hand, Tsu-wei maintained a positive attitude and never gave up on his dream to attend university. He depended on a wheelchair to move around, but he still went down the mountain every day to go to classes. Tsu-wei had to deal with the loss of a loved one, pain, illness and an unstable home and, even though things seemed hopeless, he found the courage to face these situations dead-on. What is especially moving about this story is that, as he was growing up, the care he received from different sections of the community was greater than the frustrations he felt. Ever since he was in high school, generous individuals have stepped forward to pay his tuition fees and help him overcome the various obstacles that he encountered. Every day he took the Rehabus to and from school. Tsu-wei studied hard to repay this kindness. Not only did he get into the Applied Japanese program at Aletheia University, he also qualified for Level 3 Japanese. Additionally, he studied photography and film editing and participated in the school chorus. He was often responsible for many tasks, but he never lost his courage, the courage to try. In the future, he wants to go to Japan to study and eventually become an outstanding translator. His story inspires courage in many students and young people to continue to pursue their dreams!
Mr. Liao: I would like to share two stories. The first one took place in 2006. I participated in a Global Leadership Training event put on by OBI (Outward Bound International). There were 24 participants from 13 countries convening together for 12 days. We set out to climb to highest peak in Africa – Mt. Kilimanjaro (Altitude 5895m). The moment you reach the peak of the mountain, you feel like you have the courage to overcome any challenge that life throws at you.
The second story takes place in 2011. Twelve participants in the Gamania Bravery event went to Hong Kong for training. The 12 individuals joined up with the captain, first mate and 2 Hong Kong OB trainers to navigate the seas for 72 hours. After they returned to Taiwan and docked in Kaohsiung Glory Harbor, a middle school student from Wanhua, named Chubby, said one sentence to me. He said “Mr. Director, who knew that the world outside Mengxia was so big?” At that moment, I saw the courage light up in the eyes of the little boy.
Gary：I would like to tell an interesting story about bravery. Has anyone swatted a cockroach before (Laughs)? The cockroach is a pest that most people run into in their everyday lives. Even though it is small, it can run really fast and can sometimes even fly. It’s a nightmarish creature for many people. I’m also quite scared of cockroaches. Despite this, one day I got to thinking. The easiest way to prove your courage is to start with a test in everyday life. That is when I decided that I would take on my fear of cockroaches! I began by not getting nervous when I saw a cockroach. I cleared a path for it (Laughs) then grabbed something nearby, like a newspaper, snuck up behind it and swatted it! Most people probably thing this is just a small thing, but it was a big step for me! By doing it, I learned an effective method to dispel fear: Muster up all your courage and face it directly. The fear then disappears in an instant! After starting out small and practicing, I now am more confident and fearless when I face life’s challenges! Thus my story of killing a cockroach is a great illustration of courage!
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▲Tsu-wei, who was born with muscular dystrophy.
▲Mt. Kilimanjaro at an elevation of 5895m. （Picture Source: http: //imgur. com/gallery/zTOff)
▲In 2006, Mr. Liao and 24 other Global Leadership Training participants from 13 different countries conquered Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa (Altitude 5895m).
▲In 2011, the sailboat “Gamania Bravery” went on a 72-hour voyage of 966 kilometers and successfully crossed the Taiwan Strait!
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