Summary
When I was 9 years old, I lost an important school assignment. I knew I needed help, but I was too embarrassed to ask my parents. I felt a strong urge to pray, but I did not believe in God, much less St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost things. That is how, one night before bed, I found myself composing a short prayer to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, because they were the most heroic and beneficent figures I knew.
Over the years, my pantheon has changed. It still includes Washington and Lincoln, but superheroes like the Green Lantern and Spiderman have faded, replaced by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Since I love books, I have literary heroes like Elizabeth Bishop and I.B. Singer. Since I love songs, I have musical heroes like Bob Dylan and George Clinton. I don't ask them for supernatural favors, but I do look to them for inspiration.See the full content of this document
Extract
Adding a New Hero to a Personal Pantheon
Recently, I added a new hero to my pantheon, the Italian author Primo Levi. It happened somewhat by accident. I was writing...
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