Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Wrapping Up "Wild Men, Wild Alaska"

I finished McElveen's book this week, and I wanted to throw some of his final words at you - if these words challenge you, share a comment!

  • Our culture as a whole, in my opinion, doesn't prepare young men to even want to seek their essence as a man, or to test themselves with real adventure.
  • Deep inside every person, in spite of upbringing, is a yearning to live on the edge, to experience the thrill of real adventure, and to find out who they are in the process. I think, in this culture of ambitions, we forget to pursue who we were made to be, something deeper than a nameplate on a desk or a college degree from a prestigious school. I believe that every person that allows their mettle to be tested in the wilderness learns secrets within that may not be revealed any other way.
  • Meaningful adventures bring deep reflection to our lives. On an adventure in a place like Alaska, you suddenly find yourself asking many questions: Why am I here? Why did I survive? What is driving me? Why do I collect wealth? Am I the person I should be? Am I right with my family, my friends, my coworkers? Am I right with God?

This book is a quick read, and well worth the time. A thought that's been in my head as I've read Wild Men, Wild Alaska is that as a dad, some good advice for me would be to spend time doing things with my children, instead of watching my children do things. Life is short - if you haven't realized how fast yours is flying by, please wake up! Enjoy it. Share it. Make it an adventure.

Here's to living well!

2 comments:

arlogut said...

Doing things WITH them. Nice. I think teaching them adventure is huge. That it's okay to be unsafe at times. Watching them enjoy life helps me enjoy it more.

Paul said...

take a peek at: Last Flight Out: True Tales of Adventure, Travel, and Fishing

Good stuff and a good read. Enjoy...