Life Outside The Box

I’ve never been a big fan of authors posting excerpts of their books on the internet, because most scenes don’t work all that well out of context. But today, I want to share a line from COUNTING TO D. Not a whole scene, just a single snippet of dialog. It's said about 150 pages into the book, but is kind of the whole point of the story. And it’s something we all need to remember. So here it is.



“Every advancement in human history, every scientific discovery, every artistic masterpiece, every new idea has come from an individual looking at the world in a new way. Thinking outside the box. So tell me, Samantha, why are you trying so hard to put yourself inside the box?”


Sam is a dyslexic teen desperate to be just like everyone else, but she’s note. And that's okay. She doesn’t learn to get by despite her differences; she learns to excel because of her differences. And at the end of the day, Sam’s uniqueness is what makes her just like everyone else. We all have things that set us apart. We can try to hide them in an endless battle for conformity. Or we can embrace them, and change the world in the process.

Wherever you live, and whoever you are. I hope you’ve found a box to stand on. ‘Cause the view is a lot better on the outside.