8. The Disruptive Influence
Courtneys role is a parallel to the Doctors. They are both tricksters; the irritating sand in the oyster that ultimately produces a pearl. Growth cannot take place without conflict. We must fight against familiar constraints and be willing to take risks in order to gain insight. To accept the world as it appears is to never know what it could be. Courtney and the Doctor are always prodding and pushing. They force people to react, jarring them out of complacency. The Doctor respects that and this is why he takes Courtney with him. Courtney is overwhelmed when she finds out how big the universe really is. Thats OK. No one said growing up was easy. The journey she is on is more important than the outcome. She allowed herself to be changed and that often leaves scars. We have the choice to see them as disfiguring or honor them as marks of hard-won wisdom.