Be a Noticer

And Notice Your Perspective Change

Let me tell you about my dad. He doesn’t buy books to read. He’s not like me. He reads on his library card. Now, he loves to read. Every week I visit – and there are always four or five new books from the library near his recliner, waiting for him to dig into. And he rarely finds one he likes enough to recommend.

But last Sunday, when I visited my dad for our regular Sunday afternoon tea, there was a change. My dad not only recommended this book to me, but he also gave me his copy to borrow - because he had bought this book.

I read this book, The Noticer by Andy Andrews, in just three days. I would have finished it sooner, but I had Bible study one night. Imagine: what if you had a friend who gave you the gift of perspective? Who could help you change your life by just tweaking the way you thought about things? The main character in this book, and many more, found that.

I’d heard of the author Andy Andrews before. He’s a comedian and motivational speaker, who previously authored the international bestseller – the Traveler’s Gift. He’s spoken at the request of four presidents, before crowds of thousands and for the Army’s Special Operations command.

He had a rough, rough start in life – his parents died within months of each other before his early 20s, and he wound up living under a pier on the beach in Alabama for a year. In real life, he read biographies, in order to find out how others succeeded.

That is how he begins his book. His main character is Andy, who has the same background at the real Andy: lost parents, aimless, living on a beach under a pier, scraping along with odd jobs. Then, the book moves into allegory as the character Andy meets an old gentleman named Jones.

That’s the only name Jones gives Andy. Just Jones. No Mr.

Jones spots Andy under his pier and tells him “come out into the light.” From that moment, Andy feels drawn to him, and almost against his will, listens to him. Jones tells Andy he’s a “noticer.” And he notices things about people. He knows a lot about Andy. And he offers to help Andy out – he gives him three biographies to read.

Over the next few weeks, he gives him more biographies to read – to learn how these people made their way. After all, he tells Andy, experience isn’t the best teacher. Other people’s experience is the best teacher.

Andy grows more and more excited about what he’s learning – and he starts checking out books on his own. In a few days, Jones leaves him a note, telling him to keep reading. He’ll drop in on Andy every now and then – but at that moment, Andy started turning his life around.

The book continues in a series of vignettes of the other people Jones helped. Every time he caught up with Andy, he was either going to help someone else – or had just come from an appointment with someone. He always carried a battered suitcase. He never told people where he stayed. He just popped up.

The people he helped – you could find someone to relate to in those folks. A couple on the verge of divorce due to lack of communication. A man deep in a financial pit, considering suicide. A boss determined to make it big by cutting corners and cheating people. Each time, the Noticer Jones finds these people, strikes up a conversation with them – and all, no matter who, are drawn mysteriously to this man, despite themselves. He radiates peace, and a comfort each sorely needs. In each vignette, in each chapter of the book, Jones imparts just the right lesson or wisdom for that person. For Andy, it was learning from others’ experience. For the couple, it was figuring out the other’s love language communication style.

It all leads to a beautiful ending, which I will not describe, but will tell you it is satisfying. The message, and the joy of this simple tale stay with you. Once you read it, you’ll come away uplifted. And maybe changed. You will want to tell others about it – just like my dad did. Just like I’m doing today.