How Columbus’s Atlantic voyage teaches us about courage and exploration
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Earlier this year I visited Huelva, Spain, which is very close to the Portuguese border. This is where Christopher Columbus launched the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria on his journey to America. There is a waterfront exhibit with life-size replicas of three ships built for the 500th anniversary of Columbus in 1992. Next to the boats is a museum commemorating the life of Columbus.
I went on ships, they were quite small. Santa Maria was the largest ship, approximately 70 feet long. It is extraordinary to see the size of the ships and to understand what it would be like to be launched off the southern coast of Spain and head out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Imagine what it would have been like 533 years ago to board a ship filled with enough food and water to take you across the Atlantic. It’s hard to believe that anyone would want to endure the uncertainty and deprivation of sailing a small boat across the vast ocean.
Portrait of Christopher Columbus, 1519, Piombo, Sebastiano, (1485-1547). Found in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. (Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
And then there is the actual navigation of such a journey. Columbus did not have a sextant. It lacked some of the most basic navigation tools that sailors had used for hundreds of years. He literally relied on the sun and moon to guide his ship.
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Columbus’ goal was to reach Asia, but his initial calculations were wrong. Instead, after five weeks at sea, he landed in what is now the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. It’s definitely a great story of discovery and adventure. He would never have accomplished such a feat if he didn’t have the courage to try.
Today we celebrate this courage.
Columbus is remembered for his epic journey connecting Europe to America, which was a major turning point in world history. He was from Genoa, Italy, so Italian Americans are especially proud to celebrate his heritage. The District of Columbia, the seat of our government, is named after him. Columbia University, an Ivy League college, as well as many cities and towns in America are named in his honor.
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More recently there has been controversy surrounding Columbus. Some believe celebrating it glorifies the legacy of colonialism, including the mistreatment, displacement, and deaths of Indigenous peoples. This debate led to the rise of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which aims to honor indigenous cultures, histories, and contributions.
But our focus is on his courage. The courage to explore, to discover, to not settle in life. The courage to take risks and do what is asked. The courage it takes to succeed.
What can stand in the way is discouragement. Being discouraged literally means loss of courage. Have you lost your courage? Need to regain your courage? Do you have anxiety, fear, anxiety? You can overcome this by applying your courage.
REMEMBERING THE COURAGE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
A U.S. flag flies near the Christopher Columbus statue outside Washington Union Station, Oct. 11, 1999. (AP Photo)
Joshua 1:9 tells us: “I have commanded you to be strong and courageous. Never fear or lose courage. I am the Lord your God, and wherever you go I will be there to help you.” You can be courageous because God is there to help.
You can run away or you can chase after him. You can run towards your destiny, pursue the God-ordained opportunities in your life, or you can retreat. But being less demanding means being less fulfilling.
Have the courage to follow it. Have the courage not to remain stagnant, not to settle for where you are, not to give up on your future.
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Maybe it’s a big dream you need to pursue. Maybe it’s an addiction, a life-controlling habit that you need to break. Maybe what you need to change is your mindset, your negative self-talk and self-doubt. Maybe he’s doing the right thing, even though it’s hard. Show your courage and just do it.
Stop letting the lies remain. Stop rehearsing criticism. Stop admitting defeat before you even try. Make room for courage. For the brave voice inside you to say, “I can do it.”
You may stumble or fall along the way, but doing nothing ensures that you will never move forward. Courage is not the absence of fear; yet he chooses to act. The real risk is not in failing, but in not trying at all.
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Courage is what turns faith into action and sacrifice into legacy.
Discover your courage today.
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