beautiful blueberries

to me, nothing brings more contentment like watching a great movie or reading a good book, one that makes me think and forces me to analyze my own circumstances and those of others. in 2007, a movie titled into the wild was released, receiving two academy award nominations and also featuring an amazing soundtrack thanks to eddie vedder. i watched this movie with my parents and was deeply impacted by the true story of a man name christopher mccandless. for those of you not familiar with the story, mccandless loathed the idea of materialism and resented his parents, and much of society, for their emphasis on wealth and "things." against his true heart's desire, he earned a college degree from emory, and then he took off after graduation. his goal was to eventually make it west to alaska and live off of the land. he wanted to abandon life as he knew it to search for something greater, more fulfilling, and more substantial. he loved nature, self-reliance, literature, learning, studying, and living life. the duration of his adventure was about two years, and he did make it to alaska, walking into the wild.

for whatever reason, i became extremely infatuated with his story, as did my brother who cried like a baby after watching the movie. i thought chris's story was amazing. i quickly discovered that many people felt completely opposite of me. i decided i might receive a more accurate account of chris's story by reading the book into the wild by john krakauer, and i was right. i was fascinated by chris's will to escape the conditions of society. he did what part of me always wanted to run away from: the obsession so many people have with material possessions. he traveled across the country and consciously paused to take in his surroundings. he touched the lives of several people that he was able to form relationships with as he worked briefly at different jobs or stayed with people willing and eager to hear about his adventure. he found comfort and wisdom in the works of brilliant minds like tolstoy and thoreau. i am amazed at his thought process, how carefully he pondered the thoughts and opinions of others and how genuinely interested he was in learning about the lives of others. he had the bravery to take intense risks and the hope and surety that he could tackle any obstacle that arose. he donated the $24,000 that comprised his savings account to oxfam america. he studied oppression in south africa and truly wanted to be of help to people that needed it. i think what fascinated me is that his mindset and actions are so rare, and no matter how extreme he chose to rebel, he meant it in the noblest way. he did not mean to hurt others or to prove a point, and this is what so many people have a problem with. he chose these actions for himself, to make sense of the world the way he felt he needed to. after graduating college, his parents never heard from him again. their hurt and suffering is now a permanent addition to their every day lives. he began to form relationships with several people on the road and then left as soon as he felt any sort of attachment. some argue that he was crazy, that he entered the wild ill-prepared and thus was responsible for his own demise. after analyzing both sides carefully, i cannot help but respect him for his eventual self-discovery and his ability to follow his dreams no matter where they took him. here are some of my favorite quotes from the movie and the book, perhaps something to ponder:

quoting thoreau, "Rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness...give me truth."

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

"You are wrong if you think joy emanates only or principally from human relationships. God has placed it all around us. It is in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living."

"Happiness [is] only real when shared."