We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.

Host:
The room was calm, the soft hum of the outside world barely making its way through the windows. Jack sat in a chair by the window, his fingers gently tapping the armrest as he gazed out at the evening sky. Jeeny sat across from him, her tea cup in hand, deep in thought. There was a sense of quiet in the room, but it felt like something important was about to be said, something that had been simmering beneath the surface for a while.

Jeeny:
(She sets her cup down, her voice calm but filled with purpose.)
“I came across a powerful quote today by Martin Luther King, Jr. He said, ‘We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.’ It made me think about how fear can shape so much of our lives, how it can hold us back. But courage, as he suggests, has the power to keep that fear in check. Do you think that’s true? Can courage really be the thing that holds back fear?”

Jack:
(He looks up, his expression thoughtful, as if the weight of the quote has struck him.)
“I think so. Fear is a natural reaction — it’s part of being human. But it’s how we respond to that fear that determines whether it controls us or not. Courage isn’t about being fearless; it’s about acting in spite of that fear. It’s like building a wall to stop the floodwaters. Fear can overwhelm us, but courage helps us create a buffer, something to hold it at bay. It doesn’t make the fear disappear, but it allows us to move forward in spite of it.”

Jeeny:
(She nods, her voice gentle, almost coaxing him to explore the idea further.)
“Exactly. Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the decision to face it. Building dikes of courage means actively choosing to stand strong when fear threatens to overwhelm us. The flood of fear can be paralyzing, but if we can build the mental and emotional strength to face it head-on, we create the space to move forward, to continue on our path without letting fear dictate our actions.”

Jack:
(He pauses, his voice reflective, as though the depth of the quote is settling in.)
“That’s a great way to put it — creating the space to move forward. It’s easy to let fear control us, to let it stop us from taking risks, from trying. But courage is like a muscle — the more we build it, the stronger it gets. The more we push against fear, the less power it has over us. I think that’s what MLK was getting at — courage is what allows us to break through the barriers fear sets up.”

Jeeny:
(She smiles softly, her voice reassuring, almost offering a quiet strength.)
“Yes, exactly. It’s about resilience. Fear will always be a part of the journey, but it’s courage that enables us to push forward, to keep moving in the direction we want to go, despite that fear. And just like those dikes, courage needs to be constantly reinforced — because fear can flood in at any time. But if we have the courage to face it each time, we become stronger, more capable of holding it back.”

Jack:
(Smiling slightly, his tone softer, almost as if the conversation has inspired something new in him.)
“I think that’s the key — courage isn’t something you just have or don’t have. It’s something we build. It’s a daily practice of facing fears, big and small, and choosing to move through them. And as we do, we build more strength, more confidence. We’re able to hold that flood back longer each time.”

Jeeny:
(She nods, her voice calm but with a sense of quiet power.)
“That’s it. Courage isn’t something we have to find outside of ourselves — it’s something we cultivate within. It’s about the choices we make every day to face fear, to act with purpose and conviction, even when the floodwaters seem overwhelming. And the more we choose courage, the more we realize that we’re capable of holding back even the strongest fears.”

Host:
The room feels quieter now, as both Jack and Jeeny sit together, reflecting on the power of courage and its ability to keep fear in check. The world outside continues its steady rhythm, but inside, there’s a shared realization that courage is not a one-time choice, but a continuous process. It’s the courage to face fear, to move forward despite it, and to keep building that inner strength. In the end, courage is the force that helps us hold back the flood of fear, allowing us to continue on our path and live a life of resilience and purpose.