This book began several years ago as a sort of self-assigned therapy. I began to think about some of the positive influences in my life and to write about them rather than dwell on the many negative things going on in the world. This process has been helpful to me and I hope it will be helpful to others as well. The book is composed of character sketches and essays, most of which are based on real persons who have been influential to me as teachers or mentors, and whose contributions to my thinking have been valuable beyond any words I could find. I've written these reflections with respect...