Coach Gowron

@coachgowron.com

You will be inspired, or else.

It is far too easy for those in a position of privilege to judge the actions of others through the lens of that privilege, supporting laws and rules the protect it while vilifying those who don't have it. Honor is not to blindly follow rules, but to see them for what they are, and who they benefit.

I am substituting for the grade 11 math teacher who mathed too hard and ended up in a parallel universe. While we await Mr. Surak's return, I will teach the children all about that most glorious of all shapes, the triangle!

Gowron smiling broadly and wearing nerdy black rimmed glasses. Nerdy but honorable!

Confronting your fears takes courage. That is obvious. But doing so also takes compassion. You must understand why the fear took hold in the first place, and be gentle with the part of you that shrank away from it. You must attack your fears, not yourself for having them.

You do not need to react, or even form an opinion, on every event around you. A true warrior knows that often it is better to simply observe and learn, to alleviate one's ignorance, rather than putting it on full display.

The ability to recognize the suffering of others and offer assistance is not only honorable, but it will serve you well in many situations, some unexpected. Compassion is a transferable skill.

The smallest act of defiance may be all it takes to bring forth the hidden courage inside of you. Snarl in the face of your fears, let them cower at what they've unleashed.

As you strive for an honorable life, know that you will make mistakes, that you will stumble. So will everyone seeking to do the right thing. Honor is a path through the complex landscape of life, not a fence to keep out trespassers.

Give thought to those who have helped you, shown you compassion, have been there for you. As a true warrior, you may be that person for someone else: one who came to someone's aid and are in their thoughts now. Be grateful, for that is true honor.

We often fear the future, the unknown. But a true warrior faces forward, confident that their strength and honor will help shape that future. Why should someone who carries their own light ever be afraid of the dark?

In dark times it is easy to become overwhelmed, to feel helpless. That is what your enemies want. Defy them. Deny them this, and let that be your first step toward denying them victory, and then seizing it yourself.

Picture a better version of yourself. Look up to that person, make note of what needs to change for you to become them. It seems trite, but if you can't envision someone you can grow into, you may never grow at all.

It is natural to know despair in dark times, to feel dread and uncertainty. But do not immerse yourself in doom. Seek out joy and inspiration, wherever you can find it, to keep despair from being the only feeling you have space for.

There are those who celebrate ignorance and intolerance, cruelty and hate. Do not let them snuff out the light of honor, true warriors. Stoke its flames until all they can do is burn themselves on it.

Kahless tells us that those who shine brightest draw the most attention, but so too does the dazzling flame draw moths to their doom. A true warrior knows the loudest voice is not always worth listening to, and that you may have to listen carefully for those whose words have value.

If hopelessness has made a home in your heart, it cannot be dislodged easily or all at once. Chip away at it with small victories, moments of hope and defiance. It is not easy and it will take time and effort, but strive to make it an uncomfortable home, a place where despair is no longer welcome.

Sometimes it feels as though time is our enemy. We grow up so slowly and grow old too fast. But a true warrior knows that acts of kindness, of righting wrongs, of making things better—those things are evergreen. An honorable life is, among all else, timeless. Crossposted with @openvibe.social

Honor those who have gone before you, and who fought their battles so you could fight yours. Live honorably so that you may one day be remembered well by those who come after you. The past is part of us, and we will become part of that past, and that is glorious.

We often treat every activity as if it is something to be bested, an achievement to be unlocked. If singing brings you joy, sing for the joy of it, not because it is a skill you must master, must exploit. We should do more things for the glory of it, not the profit of it.

Difficult times lead to difficult choices, but take heart! No matter how hard things are, you have made the most important choice already: to live with integrity and honor, to be a true warrior. Let that choice guide the choices that follow, and watch as difficult times retreat from your glory.

Be relentless against your enemies, but be ready to show mercy and grace should the opportunity arise to turn a foe into a friend. People can change, and honor is a path through the complex landscape of life, not a fence to keep out trespassers.

Do not live in constant fear of being wrong. Don't berate yourself for erring. You may regret past mistakes, but a true warrior knows that if you learn from them you may one day be grateful that you made them.

When you have lost that which you hold dear, it is natural to shy away from seeking the same joy again, for fear of losing it once more. But take heart! Seek that joy again, even knowing what it may cost. For a true warrior is a collector of warm shadows, of memories fond, wistful, and joyous.

Confidence without introspection is hubris. To never question yourself, to lack all inner doubt, is to throw away one of the most valuable tools of the true warrior. After all, how can you learn to be better if you never see room for improvement?

As much as we may wish to deny it, we are often motivated by fear more than anything else. It is a hard way to live. But true warriors pledge to meet those fears shoulder to shoulder, to stand against them together. In doing so, we are motivated against fear, not by it.