Tom Leveen's debut novel, PARTY, follows 11 seemingly unrelated characters --- each dealing with their fair share of secrets, insecurities, heartache, and drama --- whose lives converge on one unforgettable night. Today, Tom stops by to share a pretty inspring message on how, regardless of age, a little bit of passion can go a long way.
Mom, Dad, Mr. & Mrs. School Administrator… I’d like you to leave the room for just a minute. Need to talk to these “kids.” Won’t take long.
All right, folks, here’s the thing:
In 1775, Thomas Jefferson was 32, James Madison was 24, and Alexander Hamilton was 20. Twenty years old. That’s only four years or so away for some of you.
Point being: There is nothing you cannot do. There is nothing you cannot accomplish. There is no reason to ever let anyone tell you otherwise. These guys started a nation. What would you like to do?
You are not: stupid, worthless, no good… (well, you know the rest).
No, I don’t know your story. I don’t know your “issues” or hurdles or addictions or anything else that might be standing in your way. What I do know is that you’re, what…14? 16? Maybe 18? Good --- that means you have more passion in your little finger than most people over 30 can muster in a year. This puts you in a unique position to Change The World Forever.
Careful, now: I’m not saying Be Stupid. I’m not saying Hurt Yourself (or anyone else). I’m saying you are at a point in life in which you have the creativity, energy, drive, ambition and guts to try something new. Your entire body, your whole being, is made up of potential. You’re a reader (else you wouldn’t, um … be on this website), which already puts you ahead of most people in the world. You’re smart. You’re a thinker. And when you care about something, man, you care about it fiercely.
So my only question is…what do you want to do with it?
Hurry, the adults are coming back. And they’ve probably been listening jealously at the door, wishing they had the courage to act when they saw injustice, and remembering there was a time they did. (It was when they were teenagers.) Which means there’s probably one or two out there who can and will help you figure out how you’re going to change the various messes we’re in. It’s not your fault we’re here, but it can be your fault that they get solved. Pick your favorite: Global hunger. School and online bullying. Cancer research. Local poverty. Puppy mills. Deforestation. Homelessness. Child soldiers. Global thermonuclear war.
…Or just having the guts to talk to That Kid at lunch when no one else will. You know the kid I mean. That might change everything, for you and for him or her.
Whatever it is that makes you mad, makes you rant (or blog…), that’s the thing you should be going after. You can change this world, I swear it. Maybe just one person, or maybe a million or a billion, but you can change it.
So what do you wanna do?
I for one can’t wait to see.
Take care,
-- Tom Leveen
