I could've swore I had a blog post a few months back where I mention that I wanted to setup camp in Africa and live off the land - but I've searched for it and can't find it… it must've gotten lost in the shuffle.
It must be a phase that everybody (or a lot of people, anyways) goes through at some point in their lives. Who needs this culture based on sex, material things, money, power, and greed!? Why can't I just go live on my own somewhere - rid myself of all the trash that hits me from every angle, every minute, of every day? Or maybe I'm just tired of going to work to get the money to pay for my car to get me to work so I can pay for my car. Maybe I just want to go back to a simpler time where you only had to worry about one thing, surviving.
I watched the movie Into the Wild this weekend. I was suprised to learn it was a true story - and after reading a lot about the real Chris McCandless - it seems the movie is fairly accurate.
I spent some time reading other's thoughts on Chris, his adventures, and other people's own adventures on the forum at ChristopherMcCandless.info. It's interesting how many people seem to feel the same way - and
want to either wander or live in the wild. A lot of people have made the trek up to the bus where he lived in Alaska - some have died trying to get there.
To me, one of the most interesting things about Chris is that his life was genuine and it was his journey. He was trying to be the best person he could be - and to him that meant leaving everything behind, burning his money, and having some real life experiences - and some real death experiences as well.
I don't think we have to be as extreme as Chris was - and if you asked me today if I would want to go live off the land in Africa, I would probably say no. But, I do think we should be conscious of every decision we make in how we live our lives. Make those decisions with purpose and make sure that you own them. Be aware of what you're choosing to do and choosing not to do. Be aware of the opportunity costs of doing whatever it is you're spending your time doing. Make your decisions with heart and be true to yourself - and try to be the best person you can be - whatever that means to you.
And the most important message Chris left was something he wrote in the margin of a book while he was dying… "Happiness only real when shared."