Reflections on AGAINST ALL ODDS by SCOTT BROWN

If it weren't for my 12 year old son's (aka The Boy) interest in politics, I'd probably be like many Western Massachusetts residents.

"Who is Scott Brown?" they ask me when I mention I read his book.

"Uh, only our United States Senator," I say.

"Oh...." The person vaguely stares at me.

"He won Ted Kennedy's seat after he died,"  I explain.

The person's eyes glaze over. "Oh, well, I'm not into politics...."

I shrug and walk away or make a wisecrack at this point, because I know  that Scott Brown is not someone who be unknown for long.

The Boy with Scott Brown-Barnes and Noble Book Signing

When I heard he was having a book signing in the area I immediately asked The Boy if he wanted to go.He was pumped.  Just a few weeks prior, we'd heard Scott speak at the Republican Committee brunch in our area and both of us liked what he had to say. (And yes, even at 12, The Boy knows a lot of what's going on in our world.)

I saw it as a great opportunity to share a morning together, waiting in line.  Was I shocked when I arrived to find few people waiting....he's our Senator, but, then I remembered...no one really knows who Scott Brown is.  All the better for us, I thought.

Like I do for most books purchased for The Boy, I read it first.  I didn't expect to like it.  I mean, who wants to hear someone successful talk about how hard he had it?  Frequently, these types of stories are whiny or make the person look like a superhero.  But, I loved it.  More than that, I related to it.  Everyone has to grow up.  Some people are better than others at it.  For some,  like Scott Brown, it came sooner than it should have.  And he's used every opportunity-good and bad-to better himself.

Maybe I'm naive in believing his experiences separate him from the rest of the pack of politicians.  Maybe I'm falling victim to a ploy of self-promotion. But I don't think so.  Since the Republican Brunch in February (where he dissed me-the voter- for The Boy), I've been paying close attention to Scott Brown.  He's in the area of Western Mass a lot, with little media fanfare. And he's requested to spend time training in Afghanistan this summer, according to the Boston Globe.  

Something's different about him.  I'm willing to bet his quiet, steady and focused demeanor will continue to propel him to higher levels.  I certainly hope so, because I live by many of the same beliefs:

"I believe that we each create our own playing fields and that we are all capable of overcoming whatever challenges might otherwise hold us back.  The ability to persevere, whatever the circumstances, lies in each one of us" -Scott Brown

And YES-The Boy will be allowed to read this book, whenever he feels he's ready!