I always showed myself in the face of day, asserting the liberty

There are voices in history that do not fade with time — voices forged in courage, defiance, and the unyielding pursuit of liberty. Among them is that of William Wallace, who once declared, “I always showed myself in the face of day, asserting the liberty and independence of my country, while some others, like owls, courted concealment and were too much afraid of losing their roosts to leave them for such a cause.” These words are not merely the cry of a warrior, but the confession of a soul that burned for freedom while others hid in fear. In his defiant tone lies the eternal struggle between the brave who stand for truth and the timid who cling to safety.

To understand this quote, one must see it through the eyes of Wallace — a man who rose in the 13th century to lead Scotland against the might of England. His country was shackled under the rule of King Edward I, its nobles divided, its people oppressed. Many of Scotland’s leaders, afraid of losing their lands and titles, chose submission over resistance. But Wallace, a man of humble birth, stood in the open field, proclaiming independence not with treaties, but with the sword and the spirit. His words, “I showed myself in the face of day,” are the anthem of honor — of one who fights not in shadows but in light, unashamed of his cause and unafraid of its cost.

The image he paints — of others as “owls” who “courted concealment” — is both poetic and piercing. The owl, creature of the night, hides in darkness, watching but never acting, fearful of losing its perch. So were many of Wallace’s contemporaries: men who whispered of freedom but did not dare to live it. He condemns them not for cowardice alone, but for comfort — for choosing their “roosts,” their positions and possessions, over the higher calling of patriotism. In this image, Wallace teaches that true leadership is not born of wealth or rank, but of the willingness to risk everything for what is right.

His words are not merely about one war, but about the eternal battle of the human spirit. Every age has its owls — those who prefer the safety of silence to the peril of truth. They hide behind excuses, saying the time is not right, or the price too high. But history remembers not the cautious, but the courageous — those who stand “in the face of day,” even when that day burns with danger. Wallace’s legacy is the reminder that freedom, whether of nations or of the soul, is never won by those who fear to lose.

We can find echoes of Wallace’s spirit in every generation. When Nelson Mandela defied apartheid in South Africa, he too chose the open daylight of resistance over the comfort of compromise. He was imprisoned for twenty-seven years, yet his chains became symbols of moral victory. Like Wallace, he refused concealment; he showed himself before his oppressors, declaring that liberty is worth suffering for. The world often praises such figures only after they have triumphed — forgetting that in their own time, they were called reckless, defiant, or dangerous. But the light of truth has always been kindled by such fire.

The origin of Wallace’s declaration lies in the heart of defiance that burns whenever a people awaken to their dignity. He spoke not for himself alone, but for all who would rather live free for a day than die in the chains of submission. His words were his answer to those who counseled patience, who said the dream of independence was too costly, too foolish, too impossible. To him, there was no cost too high for freedom, for he understood that a man’s life is but dust if it is not lived for a cause greater than himself.

So, my child, take this lesson from the warrior of Scotland: do not be an owl in the night of injustice. Do not let fear of loss silence the voice of truth within you. Stand, like Wallace, “in the face of day” — visible, vulnerable, yet valiant. For the world does not change by those who hide, but by those who dare to be seen. Let your actions shine with integrity, your voice rise with courage, and your heart remain steadfast in the pursuit of what is right. For though empires may fall and crowns may crumble, the spirit of independence — the spirit of Wallace — endures forever in those who choose light over shadow, and freedom over fear.