Years ago, when I was in a tough relationship that wasn’t destined to last, I found myself Googling “How to know if you should end a relationship”. There was a thread on Reddit, and the top response was “If you’re asking this, you’re probably already there”. That stuck with me. With some examination, the questions I’m asking sometimes tell me more than the answers I receive.

On a warm evening recently I was talking with my neighbours over a beer. They’re final-year paramedic students, weeks away from graduating and stepping into the real world. There’s been a question floating around my head that I’ve had trouble defining until I sat down to write this post. It’s whether bravery can be taught. Not learned, but taught. I asked them if their course has changed them, and they all emphatically agreed, saying that they can keep a far cooler head under pressure, and feel comfortable running towards the chaos, vs away from it. …