Never Be Afraid To Live

Last night I watched the movie Into the Wild for the second time.  It still has strong emotional resonance for me.  Without wanting to give too much away, you hurt for his loss, you hurt for his family's loss, and yet you feel his joy, enthusiasm and excitement too.  This movie is inspiring and uplifting as well as a cautionary tale.  Many of the things he did could have ended in disaster (hitch-hiking, sleeping rough, kayaking down the rapids without a helmet or any experience).  Yet he experienced so much, saw so much beauty, and learned so much about life, in such a short space of time.  During his journey, he said something like: "the spirit of the human heart is discovery."  Meaning the path to happiness lies in discovering new things.  

He tried many new things, discovered new hobbies, adventure sports and skills, met new people and explored exciting new places.  Yet in the end, he discovered that "Happiness is sharing."  I think his journey, which has now been made into a film, is a great lesson to us.  The happiness and joy in his adventure, of being in the wild and discovering new things, was equally exciting as meeting new people, making friends and sharing experiences along the way.

So how can this adventure be applied to my own life?  I think life is an adventure, or a series of adventures, but you don't have to travel far and wide in dangerous situations to discover them.    You can have an adventure at home, discovering new knowledge, music, books, trying new hobbies, skills, walking and discovering new places to explore around your own home.  Perhaps get on a bus and go for a day trip, it isn't too expensive to do.  Just choose somewhere to go.  "Go out there and experience life!"  Don't just stay hiding away in your house, which is so easy to do when you're afraid to live.  Never be afraid to live.

• Discover new words (books, novels, music, art, food, drink, exercise, games)
• Explore new places (where you've never been before - take photos, walk around, discover the unseen)
• Learn new skills (crafts, techniques, hobbies, art, writing)
• Meet new people
• Make friends
• Share experiences (joy, emotions)

Then you will have discovered happiness along the way.

Never be afraid to live...

Book Review: Prince Harry - Photographs by the Daily Mail

Prince Harry - Photographs by the Daily Mail

by Alison Gauntlett

ISBN:  140540311X

ISBN13:  9781405403115

I really enjoyed this book, it covers Prince Harry's life from birth right through to young adulthood in 2002 when the British Royal family celebrated the Queen's Golden Jubilee. It is beautifully illustrated throughout with high quality photographs, each image has a description telling you where the picture was taken and roughly when. This book works it's way chronologically through his life, with a very pleasant narrative. An absolute pleasure to read, which I found very informative and very relaxing to read.

What's also nice is that although the text makes a brief light reference to some of the not quite so pleasant elements of Prince Harry's life (namely some things that were plastered all over the tabloid press), these are not illustrated. Making this a book you can be proud to own, showing the best of Prince Harry in his best light. And I really enjoyed it.

My only complaint? I wonder if they might do an updated version to include his life and photos from the last 10 years to the present. I loved it so much I want more!