“You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.”Epicurus
In modern life, courage is cultivated not by avoiding all conflicts in relationships, but by facing disagreements and overcoming hardships with resilience and understanding. For instance, instead of avoiding discussing a sensitive topic with a partner to keep the peace, facing the discomfort and working through it together can strengthen the bond and individual courage.
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17 speaks to the idea that iron sharpens iron, indicating that growth and strength come from facing challenges and conflicts in relationships. This aligns with the Stoic principle of courage, as it emphasizes the importance of enduring difficulties to grow and develop resilience.