Introduction

Born with a birthmark on the right side of her face, Valiant was constantly teased as a child and as a teenager. Made to feel ashamed of what she was, Valiant today lives a life liberated from the shackles of trying to please others and worrying about what society thinks.
No more does she spend time trying to cover up the mark with make up each morning - she lives a life being herself and spends time with those who love her for who she is. But the path to this bravery was not an easy one…

The simple act of walking along the corridor to class had always been a difficult experience for Valiant.
“Hey what’s that thing on your face?”
“Who beat you up?”
“Did you fall over?”
“My sister knows a good butcher who can help remove that.”

Valiant had never seen anybody like herself. Through the verbal abuse that she was subjected to during her entire schooling life, she would very often look at her reflection and slam her fists on the mirror - “Why do I look like this! Why me?!” Valiant’s eyes would well up with tears of sadness while her reflection slowly becomes a blur…

On the way to class one day Valiant was stopped by Davina - the resident school bully.
“Hey Valiant! Not so fast, let’s have a closer look” says Davina while grabbing Valiant by the chin.
“Good job on covering up that mark! Now everybody can eat their lunch without feeling sick. You can go now. Oh wait - I reckon you owe me…how about 10 quid for giving you advice to cover up that thing on your face. People will start to like you now you know?”
“I guess you are right, thanks Davina…” said Valiant in a quiet tone as she handed over the money.

Davina had always felt pleased with herself who always went out of her way to make it known that she was the one that got Valiant to cover up her birthmark. “I bet she takes at least an hour each day covering up that thing” Davina would boast to her posse as they loitered on the school grounds bunking off class as usual.

For the next few years in high school, Valiant continued to spend time trying to cover up the right side of her face with makeup. While her birthmark still showed slightly below the makeup, she wasn’t bullied as much anymore. Valiant hated that she had to change herself just to be accepted at school.

The sun was about to set as Valiant looked across the River Thames. She was looking for inspiration for her graduation speech which was next week but the usual thoughts were running through her mind - “what was the meaning of all this?”

“Excuse me, you dropped your phone”
Valiant turned around to see who it was.

“Oh! Thank…. you?”
Valiant was lost for words as she looked at the lady handing back her phone. Valiant musters the strength to speak…

“Oh sorry! I just have never… seen anybody look like me before.”

“Don’t worry luv! Here, take your phone before I keep it. Look atcha, you remind me of me when I was younger. It’s getting chilly, you fancy a cuppa? I think there maybe a few things I can share with you. You had that what’s-the-meaning-of-all-this look on your face” (giggles).

“Ah! Um!” blushes Valiant.

“I’m Courage - and you must be?”

“V, Valiant…”

“Nice name! Let’s put you back on track to live up to your name” says Courage in her strong cockney accent.

We see Valiant and Courage chatting as they walk along the Thames towards Westminister. A flock of seagulls fly overhead as the chilly evening breeze blows back Courage’s hair to reveal her facial birthmark which is a similar shape and size to Valiant’s one.

“I don’t normally walk off with strangers but I feel we somehow know each other? I’ve never seen anybody like myself so what are the chances that I would meet somebody like you on an evening like this?” quizzes Valiant.

“Lets just say I have a good friend called Destiny”

Valiant smiles - “The next thing you’re going to say is that it’s the same Destiny from the show ‘Destiny - Past & Beyond’ !”

“I was actually!” laughs Courage.

Later that week, we see Valiant backstage standing by the curtains. The hall fell silent but one could hear giggling in anticipation of Valiant coming on stage to give her graduation speech - it was Davina and her posse. Davina then stopped giggling and raises her voice in disbelief “What the?!”

Valiant walks on stage in large confident strides but this time we see the real Valiant - the Valiant without makeup hiding her birthmark.
Valiant clears her dry throat.

“The title of my talk is called… Finding Courage.

Our ancestors have evolved over millions of years roaming the Earth as hunter gatherers. We evolved many behaviors that increased our chances of survival. One of the key’s to the success of humanity is that we evolved the ability to cooperate with each other. Cooperation meant that we could start to live specialized lives. For example, one person specializes in hunting, one in gathering, one in cooking, one in making clothing to keep us warm and so on.

As we started to cooperate with each other and live in larger groups, it was in our benefit to care about what others thought about us. Those who behaved brave and strong were more likely to attract a mate and thus pass on their genes. If we behaved in a manner that would be frowned upon then we would have been banished from the group which would have meant certain death. So you see it was very important that we evolved the behavior of caring about what others thought of us - it gave us a survival advantage just like the other innate behaviors that are hardwired into our DNA such as the fight-or-flight response.

However, while caring about others think helped us survive until today, this hardwired behaviour is now more of a survival disadvantage in todays society.

I was born with what’s known as a Port Wine Stain on my face. Between 3 and 5 children out of a thousand are born with this birthmark which is caused by a genetic mutation. The mutation causes blood capillaries to be overly dilated where blood accumulates in them giving the skin surface its port wine color.
Ever since I was little, I was made to feel ashamed of myself for having this mark which I have been hiding with makeup for the past few years. Today I made the decision to hide it no more and to instead live life for what I am and not what others want me to be.

Even if you don’t have a birthmark, I am sure you can relate to my story. Because humans are hardwired, I know there are people around you who would rather you live the way they prefer. They want you to dress a certain way, talk a certain way and behave in a certain way.

We still don’t know why humans dream but I think its because dreams serve as a reminder that we should take the “caring what others think” in moderation. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t care at all and run around naked but am saying that you got to ask yourself - Was I really born just to live the life of others?

Decisions we make in life are most likely to be dictated by what others and society thinks of us - we are hardwired to think this way and society has molded us to be like this - but humans were born with a conscious that can re-wire the way we think so that we can choose to find the courage to live our own lives and pursue our dreams.

Thank you.”

Silence falls upon the hall until a member of Davina’s posse stands up and starts to clap. The rest of Davina’s posse are now also standing and clapping and soon the whole audience are on their feet. The roar of applause and cheering can be heard across the school grounds.

Valiants eyes start to well up with tears but this time its tears of joy as she looks to the side of the stage where Courage is standing smiling back.

Davina grits her teeth and runs out the hall red faced clenching her fists.
It seems that those who laugh last really do laugh the longest.