"The Noticer" by Andy Andrews came at just the right time in my life
February 18, 2010
I'm a 63-year-old baby-boomer who has been struggling with getting into the next chapter of my life.
My kids are grown and have moved away. I've been retired for a few years and I feel like I'm spinning my wheels in my effort to gain traction about what to do next in my life and it has been bugging me.
Then I was presented with the opportunity to read "The Noticer" by Andy Andrews and published by Thomas Nelson. It's a easy-to-read and a short book that packs a useful look at life and what the future holds for just about everybody regardless of their age or situation.
The story revolves around the conversations of an old man named Jones with a variety of different people in a small Gulf coast town who were experiencing life challenges which made them doubt their future.
Jones ran into a young homeless man trying to deal with the loss of his parents and any semblance of normalcy in his life. There was a young businessman married and with a child on the way who was so driven that he ignored what was important and was standing on the edge of a cliff. There was a couple who loved each other but who lost the ability to communicate that to each other and were on the edge of divorce.
The person who struck a chord with me was a senior citizen in her seventies who felt she had no more to contribute to life and death was the only thing in the future. I knew that that could be me in another decade if not sooner.
It was the old man Jones who came along and took an interest in each individual and asked questions that helped them see their situation from a different perspective. It's all a matter of how you view obstacles and challenges. I get it.
For the past several days, I've been looking for a Jones in my life. I'm married to one. But, I think I've come to the conclusion that it's time for me to assume that role in the lives of others. I'm old enojugh and I've learned some things and I continue to learn. I want to be a "Noticer."
I recommend the book for anybody looking for a way to find answers to the whole myriad of life situations.
I will read it again, either on my Kindle or in my paper version.