Last month I finally watched "Into The Wild".
Wow.
Actually, wow does not really explain everything I felt after watching this film, written and directed by Sean Penn and staring the very young and talented Emile Hirsch.
The acting was superb (especially Hal Holbrook), the cinematography was interesting with different techniques used (and even once Hirsch making a funny face into the actual camera) but still beautifully shot and the philosophy and lessons learned were exceptional.
A lot of emotion came to surface during this movie - hope, desire, pain, sadness, confusion, love, anger. Many emotions I have felt lately whilest dealing with this matter or that matter. Watching Hirsch play the just college graduated Chris McCandless made me ponder how to deal with some of these matters. Do I write my saster? Do I call my saster? Do I just continue to do as I do - not talking, praying for her and hoping or fearful of one day having a relationship? Do I just swallow my pride and throw myself out there with her ... with life ... with mankind?
" ... when you forgive, you love. And when you love, God's light shines through you." Ron Franz
Either way I must be careful not to get in too deep and deal with it in what could be the wrong way. Because the film is a tragedy of getting in to deep. Not swallowing that pride sometime and dealing with things in your own way. But we must be cautious too, not to let it get the better of us. It is a thin line that must be walked.
Some things do need to be journeyed away from. Yes.
I have oft thought of going on my own "Great Alaskan Adventure" ... but across the pond and to the land of Erin. Pack it all up and head there and live in the land of my blood. See if I can do it, why not?
Maybe what really spoke to me was a conversation between Chris and Vince Vaughn's Wayne Westerberg, where the two are discussing Chris' thoughts. Even reading Kraukar's original 9,000 word article on the matter reached out to me, as Westerberg in the article mentions Chris' ethics and his way of thinking. Because in many ways it is like mine.
"The core of mans' spirit comes from new experiences." Christopher McCandless
But we can go on our own adventures without our many possessions and without having to go to Alaska. We can do things to prove our own strength without journeying across the country and then living in a "magic" bus. We can live our everyday lives right here and push ourselves, test ourselves, see if we can do "it" - whatever "it" is for each individual.
Right? Right.
