Courage is not the absence of fear.

This past weekend, three generations of my family stepped into the woods together for an archery hunt, my dad, myself, and my 10-year-old son. What unfolded out there wasn’t just about hunting. It was about courage, growth, and the quiet lessons we learn when we lean into discomfort instead of retreating from it.

Road Trip to spend some time in the woods

At the start, my son was hesitant. The woods can feel overwhelming with uneven ground, tall vegetation grabbing at your legs, the weight of a tree stand shifting with every step. For him, each stride was a battle between frustration and determination. He tripped more than once, falling in the thick brush, and struggled under the burden he carried. But what stood out to me was this: he never once looked back. His eyes remained fixed forward, refusing to let the challenges of his environment turn him around.

As the hunt ended and the last light faded, I offered him a new responsibility. “Lead us out,” I told him. Armed only with his headlamp, the glow of the moon, and a few well-worn paths, he stepped into the darkness ahead of his dad and grandpa. Each cautious step became more certain, his shoulders straightened, and his confidence grew. The gravel road was hidden by the darkness of the evening. By the time we broke through the trees, paced zigzagging through a couple of hundred yards of uneven and overgrown fields, we saw the road and car ahead.  He had transformed.

That night, he didn’t just find the way out of the woods, he found a truth within himself. He is capable of leading, even when fear and discomfort whisper otherwise. Courage was not the absence of hesitation or struggle; it was the act of pressing forward despite it.

Watching my son step into that role, with his dad and grandfather following behind, filled me with pride. He learned that the path may not always be clear, but sometimes all it takes is one steady light, one brave step, and the belief that you can guide others through it.

And in that lesson, I saw the essence of courage, not a lack of fear, but the overcoming of it.

Practicing courage is more than a moment, it’s a lifestyle choice we each get to avoid or prioritize. Every time we choose to do something hard, we discover what we’re truly capable of. And once we’ve proven to ourselves that we can overcome what once felt impossible, we begin to see the life we’ve always dreamed of as not just a distant hope, but as something tangible and within reach. You only need to have the courage to reach for it.