Into The Wild, Unmentionable Concepts

In a recent conversation mother mentioned how she had seen the movie Into The Wild.

How she felt it was a very sad story and couldn’t understand why that good-looking young man wasted his life. In fact, she was so put off by it she didn’t even realize Supertramp made it to Alaska. She had basically become disgusted and ‘tuned it out’ by that point.

I wanted to make an attempt at enlightening mom. But I’m 53 and mom is much older. Perhaps after so many years of attempted enlightenments falling short, I have surrendered. Probably, more likely, just given up.

But I wanted so badly to let her know it wasn’t about her feelings or expectations. It was about his. It was his life. He lived his dream. Many never get that level of satisfaction.

Is there more value in a life due to longevity? Many people spend so much time on so many things we are ‘supposed to do’ they forget to simply live, or don’t have time. They often forget their wants and desires, or cast them aside, because they do what they are ‘supposed to do’.

How dare anyone else come along and not do the same! How dare anyone else not suffer the turmoil the way I did. How dare anyone live their life for themselves! How selfish!

But the feelings, of people like these, come from bitterness. Bitter that they themselves passed by so many of their dreams. Bitter and jealous those others don’t follow suit.

As the old saying goes, misery loves company.

And an applicable biblical passage, something about thou shalt not covet thy neighbor.