If one wants to be a homer in Indianapolis, there's no better time of year for it than May. This year, the Pacers have rejuvenated their playoff rivalry with the Knicks, Caitlin Clark has come to town, and the Greatest Spectacle in Racing is almost here. And one more thing this May, the movie adaptation of John Green's 2017 novel, "Turtles All the Way Down," was released on Max. It's one of my favorite books, the only one I ever read twice, written by Indy's greatest author since Kurt Vonnegut. As a bonus, it's set here in the city. Yea, yea, I know it was filmed in Cincinnati, but that's another column for another time. The story chronicles the mental health struggles of a teenager named Aza Holmes. She was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder and suffered the loss of her father who died unexpectedly, both when she was a little girl. She and her mom, who teaches at Aza's high school, are consumed by these two life challenges. It's just another story really. The primary themes are relatable because of how often they exist in normal people's lives. Normal. Aza would kill to feel like what she believes is normal. But her OCD drives her into "thought spirals," revolving around the micro-organisms and their function inside her body. We casually refer to people as "germophobic" often these days, and more so since COVID-19. Aza would call most of these people "normal" too. The intensity of her fears is far more profound and dangerous. And still, her condition and her life are not rare. Connect with Michael Leppert Visit michaelleppert.com to read the full post and links to any resources or articles mentioned. Twitter @michaelleppert  Facebook at Michael Leppert  

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