The Seventeen Second Miracle is a book I’ve already recommended to many people. As with all Jason Wright novels, I walked away having learned something and more determined to be a better person. If you doubt that small acts of service have a lasting effect on a person’s life, you need to read this book.

Just today, I was at a movie theater and in the bathroom I found an oversized gaudy ring that is popular among teens — worth maybe $5. I thought about leaving it on the counter, with the chance that someone might come looking for it. But then I thought about what Rex Connor (or his son, Cole) might have done. I took the extra time, even though it meant missing more of my movie, and delivered it to the manager of the theater. Perhaps it will sit in lost and found forever, or perhaps it will be recovered by a grateful teenager. But taking the extra time, be it 17 seconds or several minutes, to do something that might make a difference to someone else, helps me become a more compassionate person.

In The Seventeen Second Miracle, Rex Connor leaves behind a legacy — a legacy that began when he made the worst mistake of his life — one that forever changed him. His son, Cole, is determined to continue sharing the life lessons he learned from his father by holding Discussions with groups of high school teenagers.

Each year, the local high school principal selects teens to become part of the Discussion group. This year, only three are selected, but it proves to be the most impactful group yet as they struggle to face the realities of life and make the right choices despite significant roadblocks.

The Seventeen Second Miracle is one of those books that make you think about all aspects of your life. Its insightfulness touches the heart and delivers a message that is simple, yet profound: a message that is universal and essential in order for us to co-exist in harmony and has the power to literally change lives.

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