The Echidna: Bravery comes in many forms. But its driver is the same

I am a total wimp. Yep. Frightened of heights, spiders, walking along dark roads on my own.

I'm even a little frightened of drunken men, and yes, even in broad daylight. Any bravery I've ever exhibited has been on impulse or by complete accident. Let me tell you squeezing out a 4.7 kilogram baby requires bravery.

Nature is brave by design. After darkness comes daylight, sunshine, a reset. Horrific natural events, like floods and bushfires, trigger rebirth.

From the ashes spring seeds which blossom and flourish. You can see out the window right now, jacarandas reminding us of their beauty and the cycle of our lives. And in spaces once ravage by fire, we see banksias. Fires release the seeds and those glorious, knotty Australians come back from the brink.

What of humans? How do we manage disaster?

As I said, I'm a wimp. But let me give you some extraordinary examples of bravery. Palestinian paramedic Awad Darawshe, just 23, refused to leave the Supernova music festival as the Hamas attacks happened.

He kept tending to the wounded and the dying despite pleas from his friends to leave. He kept being brave until he too was killed. God forbid I should ever find myself anywhere near an act of terrorism, but I'm pretty sure I would be trying to hide, not trying to help.

Maybe it's a healthcare worker thing? Thousands of healthcare workers in Afghanistan, mostly women, turn up each and every day amid the chaos in their country. In the first six months of this year, they treated nearly 20 million Afghans. That's nearly half the population.

"The dedication and silent bravery of Afghanistan's healthcare workers is truly remarkable," said UNICEF's Dr Fouzia Shafique, the Afghanistan's health lead.

Here in Australia, the Governor-General recognises bravery regularly.

In August, he awarded the bravery medal to occupational therapist to Alicia Bain, who swam right up to try to save a shark attack victim; to two youngsters Cameron and Daniel, just 16 and 13 when they fended off an armed intruder; to Esira Salusalu, who protected his stepmother as she was being stabbed by his own father. You've probably never heard of any of them - but so brave, all of them. You have, of course, heard of Steven Bradbury, the last man standing at the 2002 Olympics. He displayed regulation stubbornness when he rescued four teenagers from rough seas. And what of a bunch of Australia Post staff and customers who managed to unravel a robbery.

None of this would be me. I could ring triple zero for sure - but lunging at an armed robber would not be my thing. I'd end up dead, either from fright or gunshot.

So I honour those who can - and I plead for all of us to respect each other and love each other in the wake of the referendum outcome. It takes bravery to come back and talk of love and forgiveness despite terrible rejection.

As Yes23 campaign director Dean Parkin said on Sunday: "Take the time to heal and to reflect on all that we have achieved together - and, when you can, recommit to the change we want to see in this country. This was never going to be the last campaign for recognition and justice; it's yet another chapter in the story of our struggle."

We can achieve a lot together by being brave. I can't say I will ever run into roiling surf or stemming blood flow but we must all do what we can to make this a better world. After flood, fire, war and hate, be a banksia.

And it's my last day as locum echidna (this time). I'm off to burrow under some bankias and Prime Echidna John Hanscombe returns tomorrow.

HAVE YOUR SAY: (and don't forget that the earlier you email on the topic of the day, the more likely you are to have parts of your contribution published). What's the bravest thing you have ever done? Or bravest thing you've ever witnessed? Can bravery be taught? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au

SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The ACT was the only jurisdiction to vote yes. And so, too, did those booths in majority Indigenous areas, rebutting claims that Indigenous people didn't support the Voice.

The Age of Jacinda is over. At the general election on Saturday, New Zealanders voted Labour out and Chris Luxford in. Wonder if he will ever enjoy Ms Ardern's popularity? Outgoing Kiwi Prime Minister Chris Hipkin never did.

Desperately seeking Madonna. Thank heaven for Canberra man and Madonna super fan Jerry Kirbell. He is going where the Material Girl refuses to go. She's not bringing her The Celebration Tour to Australia but Kirbell is sharing his massive collection of memorabilia with us at the Canberra Museum and Gallery, Madonna40: A Celebration. Let's hope her Jimi Hendrix jacket makes an appearance.

THEY SAID IT: "Scared is what you're feeling. Brave is what you're doing." Author Emma Donoghue

YOU SAID IT: Garry said what so many of us were feeling. After the events in the Middle East and elsewhere, he had to look away. And he shared the story of one of the world's greatest philanthropists, Chuck Feeney.

Ben shared a story about greed. "Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller were at a party being held by a billionaire on Long Island, New York, when Vonnegut said to Heller - 'How does it make you feel that our host makes more money in a day from interest than you will make from Catch 22 in your lifetime?'

Heller said - 'Ah, but I have something he will never have.'

'What's that?' Vonnegut said.

Heller said - 'Enough'."

Lin writes: "Thanks for that wonderful story about Chuck Feeney, makes life worth living."

Bruce has his own view of where charitable donations should go:" I cannot bring myself to donate to charities for humans because most of them are bastards but donate to charities that help animals and the environment i.e. Bob Brown Foundation, Animals Australia and Pets of the homeless."

Drew thanked Garry. "Thank you for a powerful piece with a hopeful contrast. Much needed by me as the Middle Eastern horrors unfold."

And Joan tithes: "Tithing, (giving away 10 per cent of your gross earnings ) is a good yard stick. I know for me, sometimes the more I give the more I seem to have. I don't want for anything. Needs and wants are very different things, and all the above is said from my comfortable home. Sigh!"