Nathaniel Ayers was a cellist, studying at Juilliard when he developed schizophrenia in his second year. He ended up homeless in the streets of L.A., pushing his belongings around in a shopping cart and playing an old violin.
Steve Lopez, a columnist for the L.A. Times, saw Nathaniel on the street one day and, after trying to talk to him, decided to write a column about Nathaniel. They slowly develop a friendship, and Steve becomes very involved in helping Nathaniel with his schizophrenia.
It's a beautiful and heartbreaking story - I didn't want to put it down. I couldn't help but think, do I understand friendship in the way that Steve and Nathaniel do? Obviously, their relationship is very unique, but how much time and effort am I willing to put into my relationships? Am I interested in what's best for them, or what's best for me? I hope the answer to these questions is a positive one.
