The Seventh Most Important Thing, written by Shelley Pearsall, highlights the two main characters: Arthur Owens and Mr. James Hampton. Arthur is a young teen who has just lost his father. When the loss begins to seem too hard to bear, Arthur's temper spikes to a point of rage when he sees a random man holding his dad's old helmet that was mistakenly thrown away.  Loosing his temper, Arthur throws a brick at the man without thinking about the consequences. 

        Instead of leaving Arthur to juvenile detention, the "random man," Mr. Hampton, bails him out and suggests community service. Service that includes acquiring specific pieces for Mr. Hampton.  Little does Arthur know, this older man, who seems delusional, will become someone who changes how he views himself, others, and the surrounding world. 

        Mr. Hampton leads Arthur through the journey of collecting a checklist of seven important things. These "things" are pieces of junk that seem to have little to no importance at all. As Arthur becomes more invested, we travel along the journey with him recognizing beauty rather than the “junk.” This is the theme of the service project. Mr. Hampton teaches Arthur the importance of "looking beyond the surface." He teaches him hope, redemption and the overall power of mentorship. 

        Throughout this project I will be analyzing the relationship between Arthur Owens and James Hampton. A relationship that exemplifies the importance of mentorship. The loss of Arthur's father result in actions of frustration and anger. These feelings are able to be empathized with, and unpacked through his relationship with Mr. Hampton. 

     Mentorship is a theme that often is overlooked and belittled but when we take a step back looking into our own lives, we often see people who have impacted, shaped, and encouraged us to where we are today. They extend advice, share wisdom and ultimately cheer us on through life's complicated seasons. These people are mentors. They come in all different forms, some offer a few, spontaneous conversations, others are lifelong friends. They each hold a special space where they have spoken individual's lives with meaning and care.   

       As you read and focus your attention on the beautifully unexpected relationship between Arthur Owens and James Hampton, I invite you to reflect on the mentors you have in your life.

 

Who walks along side of you?

Who advocates for you? 

Who challenges you to become the best version of yourself? 

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        As you begin to read the different genres, I have formatted the layout to resemble the process in forming a relationship: feeling alone, meeting someone new, hesitancy towards a new friendship and finally, life together.         You will also notice the reoccurring picture of lights. This unifying element is described in the novel as Arthur and Mr. Hampton work on a shimmering masterpiece.Arthur explains:

 

"Mr. Hampton used foil-wrapped bulbs to decorate a lot of his pieces.

Lights in the darkness, he called them" (172). 

 

Mentors are our lights in times that may seem dark. They keep shining, ready to encourage and offer a new perspective of advice when needed. 

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Enjoy, 

Clay Conner

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