gimme fiction

I usually find myself breezing through novels, without processing too much "advice"-type messaging, whether it's blatant or not. Or maybe I don't usually take away a whole lot after finishing a book.

But the planets seem to be aligned, and the novel I'm reading currently has proven to be more than relevant to where I'm at in my life. It's called A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon. I'd read one of his novels a few years ago and thought I'd give his follow-up a try. And despite the ups and downs throughout the plot, I'm either relating to or taking away lessons from the characters. Although he writes in a very simple style, Haddon is brilliant with content and at crafting realistic situations.

I'm nearing the end of the book, and last night, I stumbled upon some ingenious thoughts on self-awareness. The son, Jamie, is struggling with a breakup and trying to be a better son and brother. And at this particular moment, he's deciding how to deal with showing up late to his sister's wedding. This isn't verbatim, but I was floored by this concept he presented to himself: There are two things that help you be a better person. The first is thinking about other people. The second is not caring what others think about you.

I had to reread it, then reread it again to make sure I read it correctly. How often is it that you find such prolific ideas in a piece of fiction?

So I'm committing this fantastic advice to memory. When I start to feel like my thoughts and emotions are out of control, I can always come back to this simple concept and find peace in knowing everything will be OK as long as I carry it out.