Because of a great love, one is courageous.

"Because of a great love, one is courageous." — Lao Tzu

In the soft breath of these words, Lao Tzu, the ancient sage of the Tao, speaks a truth that transcends the ages. He tells us that the deepest source of courage is not anger, pride, or ambition, but love. It is love that makes a trembling heart steady, that turns the meek into heroes and the silent into those who speak against the storms. For when one loves greatly—whether a person, a cause, or the very essence of life—fear loses its dominion. The heart, once chained by hesitation, becomes as vast and boundless as the sky.

The origin of these words lies in the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, where Lao Tzu reveals that true strength does not come from the sword, but from the heart that knows compassion. He teaches that love is not weakness but the highest power, because it draws its force from harmony with all things. When we are moved by great love, our actions are no longer for ourselves—they flow from something eternal, something beyond the ego’s small concerns. Thus, the one who loves deeply cannot be conquered, for their courage springs from devotion, not from the desire for victory.

Look through the pages of history, and you will see this truth living in flesh and blood. Consider Mother Teresa, a small woman with frail hands who walked the streets of Calcutta. She had no wealth, no army, no throne—yet she faced disease, despair, and death with unflinching calm. Why? Because of great love. The same love that led her to cradle the dying, to touch the untouchable, to smile in the face of suffering. Her courage was not born of power, but of compassion. She feared nothing, for she had already given her life to love itself.

The warrior who fights for conquest may falter when he sees his own blood, but the mother who fights for her child will face the very fires of hell without trembling. This is the mystery of love-born courage—it transforms fear into purpose. When the heart burns with devotion, the mind ceases its doubts. Every danger, every hardship, becomes small in the light of something greater. The soldier who defends his homeland, the poet who speaks truth to tyranny, the healer who risks their life in plague—all act through the same force: great love that conquers fear.

In truth, every act of real bravery begins with love. Without love, courage is reckless pride; but with love, it becomes holy. Love gives courage its direction and purity—it refines raw strength into sacred purpose. That is why Lao Tzu, who understood the flowing nature of the Tao, saw that love and courage are not opposites but reflections of the same light. Where there is love, fear cannot root itself. The heart filled with love is like a river that overflows its banks—unstoppable, unstoppable, unstoppable.

Remember, then, that the greatest love is not always grand or dramatic. It may dwell quietly within you—the love of truth, of family, of creation, of the simple act of being alive. Nurture this love, and you will find your strength multiplied. When despair whispers, it will be love that answers. When fear closes its hand upon your spirit, it will be love that breaks the grasp. To live with love is to live with courage already inside you, waiting only to be awakened.

So, my child of the future, heed this ancient wisdom: Cultivate love, and you will never lack courage. Seek not to be fearless—seek to love something so greatly that fear has no room to grow. Love your purpose, love your people, love the fragile beauty of the world. Stand for it, protect it, honor it. For as Lao Tzu taught beneath the quiet stars of old China, it is not the warrior’s blade that makes one brave—it is the beating of a heart filled with great love, steady and unafraid, moving in rhythm with the eternal Tao.