Into The Wild...

Last night, I watched “Into The Wild” on DVD. Its been lying around the living room ever since I rented it well over two weeks ago and after MSN Messenger crashed with me last night, I decided to turn to the TV… and I fell in love with the movie. This is the plot (without spoilers):

“Based on a true story. After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandoned his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters who shape his life…”

One of the most touching characters Chris encountered was an old retired leather worker who Chris lives with for several months. This is one of the beautiful conversations that went on between them a little before Chris had to leave:

Ron Franz: I'm going to miss you when you go…

Christopher McCandless: I will miss you too, but you are wrong if you think that the joy of life comes principally from the joy of human relationships. God's place is all around us, it is in everything and in anything we can experience. People just need to change the way they look at things…

Ron Franz: Yeah. I am going to take stock of that. You know I am. I want to tell you something. From bits and pieces of what you have told me about your family, your mother and your dad... And I know you have problems with the church too... But there is some kind of bigger thing that we can all appreciate and it sounds to me you don't mind calling it God. But when you forgive, you love. And when you love, God's light shines through you…

This line got to me: “You don't need human relationships to be happy, God has placed it all around us…”

Before Chris leaves, Ron asks if he can adopt him, as his grandson…

I’m not going to spoil the rest of the movie but if you ever get a chance to watch it, by all means do! This movie has most definitely made it to my list of top ten movies of all time, and instead of returning it with the rest of the DVDs I rented several weeks ago, this one is for keeps! :-)