I was walking out of my first class this morning when I pulled out my phone and read a text message telling me that Harper Lee had passed away. My heart dropped.

In 5th grade, my teacher asked me if I had heard of the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. It was her favorite book and she said I reminded her of the main character, Jean Louise Finch. It wasn't long before I convinced my mom to take me to the public library so I could get my hands on the little pink book my teacher had inspired me to read, and it wasn't much longer before it became my favorite book as well.

In just the few short hours since news of Harper Lee's death has been made known to the world, I have been shocked to have dozens of friends and family reaching out to me to tell me the news. I guess I've done a pretty good job at letting people know of my adoration for this incredible author and her incredible novel. Needless to say, an ode to Harper Lee is necessary. Her beautiful heart will live on through the little piece of Scout Finch that lives on in my heart, which I can only hope lives on in many other hearts as well.

1. Adventure is out there.

I will never forget the hilarious, heart-warming adventures of Scout, her brother Jem and their best friend Dill. From rolling down the street in an old tire to finding hidden treasures in a tree, Scout shows us that while adventure can take a lot of bravery sometimes, it is always well worth it.

2. Family is a gift.

There is undoubtedly a father-daughter pair out there who isn't jealous of the precious relationship between Scout in her father. Scout recognizes the wisdom of her father, but she also never doubts how dearly he loves her. And despite the occasional bickering, we can't help but love her friendship with and admiration for her big brother, Jem.

3. Reading is beautiful.

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”
― Harper Lee, "To Kill a Mockingbird"

What else needs to be said? Scout shows us that there is much to be learned within the pages of a book, and she knows it.

4. Growing up is hard.

There are a lot of hard truths that Scout has to learn as her father defends a black man in a very controversial trial. It isn't easy, and it's not supposed to be.

5. Inequality is a reality we must face.

Atticus shows Scout in countless situations that the world puts people on different levels, but it's important to ignore those levels. She learns to treat the Cunninghams kindly despite their poverty and the Robinsons despite their race.

6. Mornings are worth waking up for.

“Things are always better in the morning.”

... And of course it's a bit cooler in the morning, which is quite the advantage when you live in southern Alabama.

7. Kids have a voice too.

This is something that not only my 5th grade teacher taught me herself by allowing my classmates and me to have a voice, but it is something she taught me through leading me to "To Kill a Mockingbird". Although Scout is just a child, her father teaches her that her opinion matters.

8. Everybody gets scared sometimes.

Although Scout's fears range from the "haunted" Radley house down the street to Mr. Ewell violently attacking her and her brother in the dark, she shows us that we shouldn't disregard our fears our pretend they don't exist.

9. You don't need violence to fight for what you believe in.

Scout learns to put her fists away and use her words to communicate with others. She learns to ask questions instead of making assumptions. And in the end, she realizes...

10. People aren't so different after all.

“I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.”

A simple but wise truth spoken by Scout herself. No matter a person's age, gender or race, she realizes that she has the ability to "climb inside" their skin and realize they are both humans.

11. Be yourself.

I hope I can forever hold on to the part of me that loves a good pair of overalls and dirty sneakers, summer adventures and fighting for the justice of others. Ultimately, Scout shows us that she doesn't need to be anything but herself, and I hope that I can do that too.