I was/am totally enamored by
Into The Wild,
the movie about Christopher McCandless'
short, but inspiring life.
Have you seen it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBe6eyhh7xg&feature=related

read about Chris
here:

Death of an Innocent
How Christopher McCandless lost his way in the wilds
By Jon Krakauer

http://outside.away.com/outside/features/1993/1993_into_the_wild_1.html


the movie, also has a
awesome, stirring soundtrack
by Eddie Vedder:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRUGvArWXLk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDorNilxPUY&feature=related

Wow Blue Dove,

That was quite a story. Definitely something you don't see or hear about everyday, that's for sure. I can see why you're so enamored by it. It touched me too. I read it twice myself - that's how much of an impact it had on me. To think that there are actually people like Chris in this world who can so easily shed their earthly layers and literally 'go with God' with such blind trust and faith that they will make it through come what may. He reminds me of The Fool, The Hanged Man and The World tarot cards all rolled in one. A very remarkable soul indeed whose story is so amazing and so humbling. Thanks so much for sharing this story with us.

Hi Venus
Glad that it touched you too.

I found myself thinking of Chahlie's IntoMeSee thread
and ponderings a lot while discovering Chris' story.
I don't have the time right now to look up his exact
quotes, but while he was on his grand adventure, traveling
the North American countryside,
he said something like "we don't need another-- all the beauty of God's creation around us is all the happiness
we'll ever need."

But, in his last moments near the time of his death,
after months of isolation he wrote,
"Happiness is not happiness
unless shared."

He must have learned some hard lessons in quiet
moments to himself.
As we all do.
It seems the need in either direction--
for solitude or the need for others,
is what takes us back to the other.
Perhaps the longing...
or the extreme of either longing
initiates the environment in which
we were meant to learn
the most from.
Perhaps our best path is
found in acceptance of the Both
within ourselves.
I'm still learning as well...
patching the holes in a ship
that while ported,
I saw more flawless,
sitting safe in port.
Our holes do not reveal themselves
until we brave sail on unchartered
Wild Waters.

Love to You.

Hi Blue Dove,



That was well said, and a lesson I am learning too. At times I think I prefer solitude to escape all the drama of human life. But then when I have it in abundance for too long, loneliness and boredom kick in and I long for the company of others again. Chris was right, "Happiness is not happiness unless it's shared." We do need one another to learn from and to share and grow with.

Yes, I do believe as you said that the longing of either initiates our learning environment. I have seen it happen to me a few times already. Thoughts do create reality, that's for sure.

I love your analogy of the holes only showing when you set sail. That is so true. Love to you too and thanks again for sharing that amazing story. It's a third-eye opener for sure.