For some among the Ancient Greeks, a hero was an individual who understood that in life, no matter what they did, eventually time or fate would catch up to them and they would come to grief . . . Yet they would continued to fight, in some cases (like Prometheus or Sisyphus) openly defy the gods, to push against the storm and winds that might sink the ship, to continue onward through the darkness with the bold stride of dragon-slayers . . . It is not physical strength that creates courage, it is mental strength, the strength to face charging lions with an inner calmness and sharp-eyed courage that defies it all . . . . This is what I see when I look at this image of Assyrians on a lion hunt. I can imagine a serenity that shows in their eyes even in the midst of the violent storm. Would that we all have this form of courage, as we venture into the new year . . . . Happy 2019