Juneau
Glaciers
Northern Lights
Been there
Small city
On the water
Cool, wet weather
Large Native Population
High rates of depression
Both
Mountains
Hiking
Kayaking?
Beards
Colorado Springs
Career opportunities
Never been there
Large city
Inland
Warm, dry weather
Large Hispanic population
High rates of friendliness (I've been told)
Marijuana
Easier access to more national parks
Which would you choose?
God bless.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
An Open Letter to Carine McCandless
Dear Carine,
I'm sorry, but I don't have your address. However, I have a few things to say.
Thank you for writing "The Wild Truth." Thank you so much. I myself am a huge fan of truth. My friends tell me I am one of the most honest people they know (sometimes too honest). So it comes as no surprise that I fell in love with your brother, Chris, when I read "Into the Wild" because of his love for truth and his absolutely genuine lifestyle. He didn't just say the truth, he lived it as he saw fit. He went to extremes to do what he believed to be the right thing. He shunned the falsities of greed and pride, and shrugged off judgments that might have been cast on him due to his life choices. I aspire to be like him in this way.
I admire and respect him immensely. Our lives overlapped very briefly, as I was only born a few months before he died. I hadn't even heard of him until I was seventeen years old. But my, how my heart swells when I think of him.
And now this book of yours. Even as a child he was a protector; a warrior even. The most noble boy and the most loving big brother.
I don't consider myself to be so ardent in my affections for Chris that I consider him a hero as so many do. I was recently asked, "Do you consider Chris McCandless to be an idiot or a hero?" I said, neither. He made mistakes. He was still learning. He was still growing.
So please don't mistakenly think I'm a mere fan or enthusiast. I admit there is a little shrine for him in my mind, but I don't bow down; I only sit and look and think hard. I would like to think that Chris's story struck a chord in my heart in a unique way, but it seems there are millions like me. Oh well.
I also enjoyed your book because it was a delight to learn about your life. While Chris's strongest quality, in my opinion, was truth, I would say that yours is strength. As you said in your book (paraphrased), perhaps the one facet of your lives where you may have exceeded him is resilience. You seem to me to be both powerful and elegant. I like and admire you, too.
There was one big thing that bothered me about "Into the Wild": Chris's spirituality and the spiritual aspect of his journey. I was upset with Jon for not looking deeper into it, for being so journalistic and for focusing so much on Chris's death rather than his astounding and mysterious life.
I thought, if only I could write a book! I would do my own research, find out about what was really going on in Chris's heart and mind throughout the whole thing. I would write a book about Chris's spirituality. I would get to the bottom of it. Because of Chris's spell-binding goodbye note more than anything, I knew there were still words unspoken.
How eager, ambitious, and passionate I was! But how foolish, misguided, and arrogant as well.
In your author's note, you said, "While I have intended to represent Chris as only I believe I can, I was careful not to speak for him, because I think no one should." You were right. For me to get inside the head of someone I've never met? Impossible. I know little more of him than what I have read in your and Jon's books.
However, I think reading your book eliminated my desire to look deeper. My questions were answered as best they ever will be. I see a much fuller picture of Chris now. You are the closest to an insider's perspective as this world will ever get. I can only hope that in the next life I get to have a nice long chat with Chris himself, finally.
So, thank you. God bless.
-Maryann
P.S. Thank you for baring your own soul in your book. Thank you for being so vulnerable about your life and the lives of your family members. It was an honor and a privilege to glimpse something as intimate as your story.
I'm sorry, but I don't have your address. However, I have a few things to say.
Thank you for writing "The Wild Truth." Thank you so much. I myself am a huge fan of truth. My friends tell me I am one of the most honest people they know (sometimes too honest). So it comes as no surprise that I fell in love with your brother, Chris, when I read "Into the Wild" because of his love for truth and his absolutely genuine lifestyle. He didn't just say the truth, he lived it as he saw fit. He went to extremes to do what he believed to be the right thing. He shunned the falsities of greed and pride, and shrugged off judgments that might have been cast on him due to his life choices. I aspire to be like him in this way.
I admire and respect him immensely. Our lives overlapped very briefly, as I was only born a few months before he died. I hadn't even heard of him until I was seventeen years old. But my, how my heart swells when I think of him.
And now this book of yours. Even as a child he was a protector; a warrior even. The most noble boy and the most loving big brother.
I don't consider myself to be so ardent in my affections for Chris that I consider him a hero as so many do. I was recently asked, "Do you consider Chris McCandless to be an idiot or a hero?" I said, neither. He made mistakes. He was still learning. He was still growing.
So please don't mistakenly think I'm a mere fan or enthusiast. I admit there is a little shrine for him in my mind, but I don't bow down; I only sit and look and think hard. I would like to think that Chris's story struck a chord in my heart in a unique way, but it seems there are millions like me. Oh well.
I also enjoyed your book because it was a delight to learn about your life. While Chris's strongest quality, in my opinion, was truth, I would say that yours is strength. As you said in your book (paraphrased), perhaps the one facet of your lives where you may have exceeded him is resilience. You seem to me to be both powerful and elegant. I like and admire you, too.
There was one big thing that bothered me about "Into the Wild": Chris's spirituality and the spiritual aspect of his journey. I was upset with Jon for not looking deeper into it, for being so journalistic and for focusing so much on Chris's death rather than his astounding and mysterious life.
I thought, if only I could write a book! I would do my own research, find out about what was really going on in Chris's heart and mind throughout the whole thing. I would write a book about Chris's spirituality. I would get to the bottom of it. Because of Chris's spell-binding goodbye note more than anything, I knew there were still words unspoken.
How eager, ambitious, and passionate I was! But how foolish, misguided, and arrogant as well.
In your author's note, you said, "While I have intended to represent Chris as only I believe I can, I was careful not to speak for him, because I think no one should." You were right. For me to get inside the head of someone I've never met? Impossible. I know little more of him than what I have read in your and Jon's books.
However, I think reading your book eliminated my desire to look deeper. My questions were answered as best they ever will be. I see a much fuller picture of Chris now. You are the closest to an insider's perspective as this world will ever get. I can only hope that in the next life I get to have a nice long chat with Chris himself, finally.
So, thank you. God bless.
-Maryann
P.S. Thank you for baring your own soul in your book. Thank you for being so vulnerable about your life and the lives of your family members. It was an honor and a privilege to glimpse something as intimate as your story.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)