Humanities Moment

As humans, we have the capability to continuously change. However, I didn’t realize how complex our lives can really be. They’re intertwined with every single interaction that we have, leaving a lasting effect on the world around us. I realized this after reading a book called Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt. It’s 368 pages of realistic fiction that deals with finding your purpose, helping a loved one with addiction, growing up, and so much more.

I read this book when I was fifteen years old. At this point in my life, I was struggling with an alcoholic mom and feeling lost in life. I didn’t know what my purpose was or if things with my mom would get better. Okay For Now helped me see that I wasn’t alone. The main character, Doug Swieteck, has a father who is an alcoholic and a brother who is a criminal. Through Doug’s character development, I saw that my situation didn’t define who I was. Doug went from being angry and hopeless to believing in himself because he surrounded himself with good people who cared about him. He found his passion and pursued it relentlessly, and even though his dad wasn’t there to see it, it still mattered because Doug decided that his passion (art) was important to him. And that was enough.

Not only did this story inspire me to create my own happiness, it showed me that everyone’s lives are different. Each person has something that makes them happy, but they also have something that they struggle with. Maybe it’s their situation at home, or maybe they’re struggling with figuring out who they are. In the book, Doug Swieteck’s happiness started with kindness. A girl he had never met before became his friend, and Doug saw a brighter future ahead.

There is one quote in particular that stands out to me. On his very first day at a new school, Doug was treated like he was a problem rather than a student by everyone, including his teachers. However, Doug’s science teacher, Mr. Ferris, says, ‘“Do you know what Schrodinger’s Law is? It means, Doug Swieteck, that in this class, you are not your brother.” (Schmidt, 102).’ This quote is the first time that someone has believed in Doug, rather than buying into the stereotype that he’s a criminal like his brother. The magnitude of this quote is seen a few pages later in the book, when Doug’s entire demeanor changes. He went from lashing out to accepting help from others, which created a change in his life that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. This moment deeply reflects real life. We’ve all felt how powerful words are, especially when they’re negative. But one positive interaction like this changes a person’s mood and perspective completely. Being there for someone and showing faith in them is absolutely monumental to who they are as a person.

It sounds cheesy, but this shows that everybody’s lives are connected. Small things like holding the door open for a stranger or telling them that their shoe is untied can have a huge impact on their life, and they will remember what you did for them. You may not see a difference, but it ripples out in waves. This book’s words are powerful and helped me through the toughest time of my life, even if the author doesn’t know it. Kindness is a gift that can change the world, and Okay For Now showed me how important it is to spread it. I think that’s the best thing we can give to one another.