Monday, May 12, 2008

Into the Wild


When I compile my all-time favourite movies (The Last of the Mohicans, Legends of the Fall, Apocalypto, Gladiator) they all seem to have a common theme- adventure, sweeping landscapes, stirring classical soundtrack, wildness. The kind of movies that you watch and then go to bed and dream of being in a different place in a different time and being wild!

I watched 'Into the Wild' the other night and it's gone straight into my top 5! The amazing true story of Christopher McCandless who sold all he had, gave the money to Oxfam and went to live in the Alaskan wilderness by himself. Read about him here.

The movie covered many thoughts I have had about escape, wildness, society and in particular travelling alone. I have always had a desire to take off by myself on an adventure. Where I'm unknown, free from expectations and responsibility. However I have also spent much time considering if any experience would be true and fulfilled if experienced alone... with no-one to share it or to remember it.

I have asked this question to many travellers that I've met. The story of McCandless is quite emphatic on this. The clip below shows the part of his journey where he is alone and starving and remembering the people he met when he first set out. What he writes is the essence of his story:

'Happiness is only real when shared'



On that note we are looking at 'Community' in TRUE tomorrow night. Don't miss it!

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

This too shall be made right.....


My brother JBAM left this song as a comment on my last post. I post it by way of apologising to him for taking his car and abandoning it in Carrickfergus (this too shall be made right!).

Also because the lyrics are powerful and moving. Check it out on youtube, by a guy called Derek Webb:


people love you the most for the things you hate,
and hate you for loving the things that you cannot keep straight.
people judge you on a curve,
and tell you you’re getting what you deserve,
this too shall be made right

children cannot learn when children cannot eat.
stack them like lumber when, children cannot sleep.
children dream of wishing wells,
whose waters quench all the fires of Hell.
this too shall be made right.

the earth and the sky and the sea are all holding their breath.
wars and abuses have nature groaning with death,
we say we’re just trying to stay alive
but it looks so much more like a way to die.
this too shall be made right.

there’s a time for peace and there is a time for war
a time to forgive and a time to settle the score
a time for babies to lose their lives
a time for hunger and genocide
this too shall be made right

I don’t know the suffering of people outside my front door
I join the oppressors of those who I choose to ignore
I’m trading comfort for human life
and that’s not just murder it’s suicide
this too shall be made right