However far fiction writers stray from their own lives and experiences - and I stray pretty far from mine - I think, ultimately, that we may be writing what we need to write in some way, albeit unconsciously.
At USC, if you're running back there, and you do gain you over 1,500 yards, people see you as a candidate, but not one of the top ones.
Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.