The Soloist, a novel written by Steve Lopez, is an inspirational narrative in which a columnist, your average Joe, gives a homeless man living on Skid Row a second chance at life. Lopez, who works for the Los Angeles Times, passes by a homeless man one day, and after that moment everything changes. Lopez did not look down upon Ayers like most businesspeople would. Instead Steve saw the man like any other, with dreams and aspirations. The columnist saw something in Nathaniel that everyone else had overlooked; he saw promise and passion. Personally, I believe everyone can be a leader no matter what traits, talents, or skills one may possess. Steve Lopez is a man who affirms my assertion. He is not the head of a charity, an activist group, or…show more content… Steve is just your average guy working for the Los Angeles Times, with a supportive wife and a beautiful child. While walking down Skid Road, a desolate area, he hears a homeless man playing a violin with barely two strings. Instead of walking away like most people would, he gives the man a chance, which is precisely what leaders effectuate. Leaders do not look at the surface to find purpose, and neither does Steve. He takes initiative instead of sitting back in the saddle, and creates a bond with a man who has nothing. Another attribute Steve possesses is an ability to selflessly sacrifice his own time for someone who needs it more. As a paranoid schizophrenic, Nathaniel is not always aware of his surroundings, absorbed in the thoughts and rhythms running around in his mind. Instead of spending time with his child who would remember spending time with his father, Steve takes it upon himself to change Ayer’s life. He sees a predicament in society and, whether he realizes it or not, actively battles the social injustices of homelessness. He involves various organizations such as LAMP and The Juilliard School for guidance, but at the end of the day all Nathaniel has is Steve.…show more content… As citizens, we must change our current democracy into a society which reflect a Living Democracy. We must each take it upon ourselves to become involved in the lives of those who are struggling. Donating to a charity or completing the necessary service hours for school is acceptable, not superlative. We must change the way we look at the world by changing that way we look at ourselves. Active citizenry should be chivalrous. By educating the young on the importance of caring for others, whether it be a family whose main provider just lost a job, or a man named Nathaniel who’s life was ruined from an illness, we can improve our overall standard of living. By building relationships with people instead of building boards of their faces that will be advertised nation-wide, we can be their voice because we will understand what they say. Time is what we need; time out of our busy schedules to say “hi” to someone who may feel no one cares. We need to care. After reading this book, I learned that I do not have to be the executive of a non-profit organization to create social change. Steve becomes Nathaniel’s friend before he becomes his activist and was able to make a difference in the former musician’s life because he understood his life. He did not read a file which listed all of Nathaniel problems. Instead, he took the time to discover who the broken man was. I was astonished and thrilled when I read that