Heroism

Rather than talking about Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors, I wish to address the famous David from David and Goliath. According to our most recent findings about David, he was a young boy of fifteen or sixteen. He was still very much like a child, and his weapon of choice was not a sword or a mace, but a sling. He wore no armor to protect himself. While no one truly knows his feelings on the subject, the task itself had to be intimidating, especially because Goliath was well known for his size and brutality in the opposing army. Despite this, David did not fear that he might meet his own death; rather, he faced his opponent as he would with any other challenge.

Gilgamesh, on the other hand, feared death more than almost anything. Not only did he not wish to die (he wouldn't because he was half-immortal), but he didn't want his friend, Enkidu, to die either. Rather than face life without his mortal friend, he descended into the underworld to find a way to keep Enkidu alive. He was very strong and experienced, unlike David, but they both had merits of being brave. At first, he was looking out for himself, but then he also watched out for Enkidu, showing that he had a change of heart.

Both stories illuminate characters of stories who succeeded in triumph. David saved his people from the enemy army, and Gilgamesh, while he did not stop Enkidu’s death, did sacrifice his own time and life experiences to try to keep Enkidu alive.

What both stories encourage leaders and followers alike to do is to take a look at the world through a different lens, a lens where people don’t focus on themselves, but who look around them at the greater cause and try to contribute to it. One story shows a glorious triumph; the other shows the side of failure. Both are important to realize because, as humans, we are certain to make mistakes. They are a part of life. The lesson is to learn from them and continue to seek out better ways.