Please don't let Julian die, I asked God. And please stop me from being a homosexual. Only when I stood up and walked away did I realize that that had been two prayers, so I went back and lit a second candle, which cost me another penny.
In this excerpt from The Heart's Invisible Furies, a character reflects on a moment of inner struggle and desperation. They pray aloud, asking for two different things: to prevent Julian's death and to stop being homosexual. These prayers reveal their deep fears and hopes, highlighting their sense of helplessness in the face of personal and external conflicts.
After closing their first prayer, they realize that they had actually uttered two separate requests. This realization prompts them to return and light a second candle, symbolizing a renewed or additional act of faith. The act of lighting the candle, which costs an extra penny, symbolizes their ongoing struggle with their beliefs and desires, emphasizing the cost and complexity of their inner battles.
