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I met the man who has had the greatest influence on my continuing growth from immaturity to adulthood in person for the first time less than a week ago. His name is Orson Scott Card; he is an author of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and numerous other genres. His command of the English language and insight into human nature make him one of the most profound authors I have read. His writing, his ideas, and he personally have affected my life on multiple levels.
Orson Scott Card’s characters struggle with religion, not always understanding it. One character’s struggle, that of Nafai, particularly helped me to understand my own fears and admiration for my religion. Nafai is a young boy forced to decide between following his religion despite not fully understanding it, or fighting against it. His struggle means that I no longer feel alone in believing something I do not fully understand, instead I feel that my confusion is validated, and does not stem from a lack of faith. While I still do not fully understand I can accept my confusion, and learn from it, rather than be caged by it.
Another constant theme in Orson Scott Card’s writing is the idea that understanding someone brings about love for them. It is most fully expressed by this quote from his novel Ender’s Game: “I think it is impossible to truly understand somebody, what they want, what they believe and not love them as they love themselves.” This concept awoke me to the motivations of other people. I have found it is easy to understand people, if I only take the time to try.
More than anything else, the online community Orson Scott Card sponsors at hatrack.com has helped me mature. Upon entering it I found myself immersed in a community of adults who were both smarter and wiser than me. I began to learn to communicate in an adult style that had never before been open to me. Discussions there were serious, and it was expected that opinions would be backed with documented factual evidence. It was a new and challenging experience for me, one that I was not at all sure I liked. Luckily I swallowed my initial anger and hurt pride, and chose to stay and learn. There have been many times I was able to understand a difficult concept in class or on the news because it had first been explained to me by people at Hatrack. Hatrack has humbled me, it has shown and helped me understand myself, complete with all my shortcomings. This has allowed me to value my abilities without demeaning the abilities of others.
Orson Scott Card has reached into every aspect of my life and forced me to change and to grow. Although he does not know I exist, his existence has changed my world. I can only thank him for the many changes he has made in my life.

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Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged | 

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Thanks everyone!

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I'm consistently amazed at the abuse people endure to remain part of hatrack.

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Terrific essay. We loved it at our house

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I'm torn between being worried and very happy. Either way and thank you.

Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged | 

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"If the story means anything to you at all, then when you remember it afterward, think of it, not as something I created, but rather as something we created together."

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Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged |