"I Wish I Had the Courage"

**Ugly Bear** · 22nd December 07, 02:02 PM

Finished up my Christmas shopping today in Best Buy, wearing a rugby shirt and my black Utilikilt original. I pardoned myself and stepped between a man and the television he was watching. His head jerked around and he said, "Hey! ... I ... I like your kilt!"

"Thanks," I said.

He sighed as said, "I wish I had the courage to wear one of those." He seemed a little wistful.

I shrugged. "There's no point wishing for courage," I said, and he agreed.

Is it possible to force someone to have courage? Evidently, this guy is sitting there wishing that someone would break into his house and steal all his trousers, leaving behind just one kilt to get the ball rolling. However, times being what they are, chances of that happening are maybe one in seven, tops. Anyone have any ideas on how to force a guy to have the courage to wear a kilt?

This way, next time I see this guy, I can have a plan of action.

**Abax** · 22nd December 07, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by Ugly Bear

Anyone have any ideas on how to force a guy to have the courage to wear a kilt?

Sure. Uptight men probably won't act on wardrobe advice from guys wearing kilts. But . . . you could arrange to have his wife or some other attractive lady ask him to wear a kilt for *them*.

Abax

**Mael Coluim** · 22nd December 07, 02:22 PM

Suggest he buys a kilt and you will meet him for lunch, etc on his first public excursion. Invite him to a kilt night or Highland Games to be saturated with other kilt wearers. Some thoughts.

**Rex_Tremende** · 22nd December 07, 02:41 PM

I don't think you can, really, force someone to take action. You can, maybe, take them on a guided tour around their own objections, which goes something like this:

What's keeping you from doing that?
What's the worst that can happen?
What's bad about that?
What is that really saying about you, others, or the situation?
If you see others doing that, why do you suppose this doesn't affect them the way you think it will affect you?
How do you imagine they overcame objections like these?
What do you think you'd be willing to do?
When do you think you will be able to do that?
Will you do that?

Regards,
Rex.

**CameronTaylor** · 22nd December 07, 02:46 PM

And one more thing: ask if he wears shorts and why that would feel different than wearing a kilt (ya know, other than the unbifurcation and all).

CT - Nike had it right: Just Do It.

swoosh

**JRB** · 22nd December 07, 02:50 PM

All you have to say is..."actually, wearing a kilt is really fun."

**Bugbear** · 22nd December 07, 03:04 PM

Hmmm, that's his problem not mine. Don't know what to say.

**Nighthawk** · 22nd December 07, 03:12 PM

There are three kinds of people in this world-

Those of us who are descendants of the Celts (with Celtic pride and courage)

Those who wish they were of Celtic descent

and- Those with no worthwhile ambition.

We can't all have Celtic courage.

**RockyR** · 22nd December 07, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Ugly Bear

Is it possible to force someone to have courage? Evidently, this guy is sitting there wishing that someone would break into his house and steal all his trousers, leaving behind just one kilt to get the ball rolling. However, times being what they are, chances of that happening are maybe one in seven, tops. Anyone have any ideas on how to force a guy to have the courage to wear a kilt?

Allow me to get mildly philosophic for a second...

Is it possible to FORCE someone to have courage. No. Can you "shame them" into it or "peer pressure" them into it? Yes. Courage comes from within and you can't GIVE them courage... they have to find it for themselves, within themselves.

That being said, even if you force someone to wear it / dare them to do it / etc, they will GAIN courage from wearing it and carry THAT forward to other experiences.

**rollerboy_1979** · 22nd December 07, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by RockyR

Courage comes from within and you can't GIVE them courage... they have to find it for themselves, within themselves.

Just ask the Cowardly Lion............

Unfortunately, that fellow probably never had the courage to do much of anything. It's part of that "victim mentality" that plagues some people....he thinks that if he wore a kilt everyone would be out to get him. I think that those of us who wear the kilt have no fear. I feel sorry for him because life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving (thanks for the quote Auntie Mame). Kilts are not for cowards.
RB