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Arya's Lessons of Badassery

How one character inspired confidence and fearlessness #VocalGOT

By Sheena PeckhamPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Not today.

"Swift as a deer. Quiet as a shadow. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Quick as a snake. Calm as still water.”

Arya of House Stark is and always has been a badass, plain and simple. Never one to follow what she is supposed to do, she creates her own path and follows her feet to new and exciting adventures.

I first began watching Game of Thrones the August after it had aired, after Twitter kept going on and on about it. I was hooked instantly. And I knew right away that Arya was my favourite.

Incapable of waiting for the next season, I began reading the books and falling even more in love with her character. At nine years old, this kid was already standing up for herself and doing exactly what she wanted.

Of course, she ended up in some scary situations, but she always made it out and learned from the experience. She was smart and strong and determined.

So, if she could be all those things at nine years old, I figured at 20, I could be those things too (except, hopefully without the murder).

I have always been a quiet person, not just in conversation but also in action. Unintentionally, I sneak up on people, scaring them as I go about my tasks, subsequently receiving comments on my "ninja" abilities and how quiet I am without even trying. Quiet as a shadow. Check.

I worked in a deli for nearly five years. On a slow day, there's only so much you can clean before you're bored stiff. If I were alone, I'd practice my balance.

"Syrio says a water dancer can stand on one toe for hours."

With all the stealth I could muster, I'd stand on one foot and then the other for as long as my calves would let me. My balance got pretty good. So then, I shifted to balancing on one toe and then the other—for a much shorter time. By the end, I had calves of steel (and when I say "end," that's subjective because I still do this sometimes).

These things are silly though. The most important lesson to learn from Arya is fearlessness. Fear cuts deeper than swords.

Like Arya, I would repeat this phrase in my head whenever I was faced with something scary. Instead of backing out and missing out on an opportunity, I decided that I would not let something like fear keep me from joining in.

I applied to the international practicum program in my university and moved to Thailand, I travelled to China and several other places alone, I figured out and rode public transport in foreign languages, I moved to the UK by myself, I taught in an unknown system within unknown areas, and I'm currently in the process of seeking employment beyond teaching—another unknown world for me. It's all very scary, but it's necessary to my growth and success.

Just like Arya, I still feel fear, but also, like the young warrior, I know that there are more important things than fear. Fear is only temporary, so we shouldn't let it ruin more permanent things.

Arya was my favourite character right to the end, and I'm eager to see her development when the books finally (and hopefully) get released. Until then, I'll use the material I already have to inspire me:

“Slowly the shapes around her took on form. Huge empty eyes stared at her hungrily through the gloom, and dimly she saw the jagged shadows of long teeth. She had lost the count. She closed her eyes and bit her lip and sent the fear away. When she looked again, the monsters would be gone. Would never have been. She pretended that Syrio was beside her in the dark, whispering in her ear. Calm as still water, she told herself. Strong as a bear. Fierce as a wolverine. She opened her eyes again. The monsters were still there, but the fear was gone.

Just so.

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About the Creator

Sheena Peckham

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