Let’s start by considering the heroism of the firefighters at the World Trade Center. The origins of the courage they demonstrated did not suddenly appear during their training. Nor did their courage originate during adolescence.

Think of courage (or any other personal strength) as having a “developmental thread.” We can follow this thread from one point to another on a continuum that extends back into early childhood. At each point the thread is shaped, strengthened and combined. If the thread never originates or is broken at some point, the outcome is in some doubt.