How to Choose a Hero

I once heard someone say

Choose an old guy for a hero—

Once you’re an adult, they’re already dead;

I say, go one step further

And choose a hero who’s long since died

Before you ever even heard their name

So that when you hear about their faults

Their prejudices

Their vices

All the shit that they have said

All the evil that they have sponsored

All the sins that they have committed

You’ll have a chance to catch up

To pick up the pieces of your broken heart

To heal and move on

To forge a new identity

To see yourself as someone else

Besides a reflection of this distorted image

Before you uncover the next skeleton in their closet

And maybe—

Just maybe—

The next heartache won’t be quite so painful