John Green is an author. No, correction, he is my favorite author.
I stumbled across his novel "Looking for Alaska" four years ago, and ever since I finished that last page, I found my love for reading and knew I wanted to read anything and everything he had written. So I did.
His novels are undeniably honest and heartfelt. They made me laugh, but they also caused me to leave teardrops all over the pages. They address issues like heartbreak, finding yourself, realizing what is truly most important in your life, and difficult topics like cancer and death. He writes about these things that a lot of people go through but no one wants to talk about. He has challenged what is easy to talk about and does it beautifully.
But all of this goes far beyond his novels. It's the fact that he is completely himself in front of millions of people on videos, movie sets, premieres, etc. He and his brother Hank discuss humorous topics that send me into a fit of laughter, but they also aren't afraid to whip out topics that bring attention to things that kick me in the butt and make me want to do something. He shows love to his friends, family, and fans. He shows love to people he doesn't know in the slightest, and I genuinely admire that.
Someone who can write young adult novels covering serious and difficult themes one minute and then cover his face in sharpie or peanut butter the next because a fan asked him to is a person I am comfortable calling a role model.
You may not know of John Green and you may not have ever heard of him until now, but I do and I have. I have read his novels a hundred times. I have seen him discuss the gender pay gap. I have seen him talk about refugees and poverty. Most importantly, I have even seen him throw himself against a wall to determine whether or not he is an octopus.
I am sad to say that I do not know John Green personally, but I do know him as the man who wrote my favorite novels and taught me how important reading really is. I know him as the man who showed me that it's OK to be a geek, it's OK to be dorky. He showed me that it's OK to laugh at myself and embrace who I am.
So thank you, John Green. Thank you for sharing your stories and for showing me how a single book can change a person's life.
DFTBA: Don't forget to be awesome.
