“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
I plan to repay my debts, for I live a highly-leveraged life.
I owe a debt to the United States, which saved my family from the clutches of the Wehrmacht.
I owe a debt to the political wards of Philadelphia, from which I learned the best and worst aspects of democracy.
I owe a debt to Hindustani log, for the acceptance they showed an outsider.
I owe a debt to the Jewish people, and to the ancient covenants that bind us.
I owe a debt to every scared refugee, for that is the burden of one's history.
I owe a debt to my parents, for being a difficult child.
I owe a debt to my in-laws, for teaching me about sacrifice.
I owe a debt to my wife, for her endless kindness.
I owe a debt to my daughter, who forced me to prioritize.
I owe a debt to G-d, for never losing faith in me, despite my transgressions.
Nothing less than a lifetime will be required to repay my debts, and doing so will exhaust every resource that I can ever hope to command.
— Mark Kahn