My side of the Mountain...

So, I haven't been letterboxing for a few months. It seems that Dad has contracted a really bad case of Lyme’s disease and is a bit incapacitated lately. While not letterboxing, I seem to have a whole lot of extra time. It is funny, pre boxing days I never had this much time. I guess I was busying myself with other hobbies, but now with the lack of boxing, I have ALL this extra time. Well it's been mainly filled with school work; I'm taking two classes this semester "History of the American Presidency" and "Radicalism in the United States". Very interesting classes, but the ideas presented the radicalism class haven't seemed too radical to me, so far. I like the idea of communal living and socialism seems right in my view, but I guess it's radical in the grand scheme of things.

Oh well, with me extra time I have had some time to read for pleasure not school. Yeah, for reading! I picked up my favorite book again, Jean Craighead George's "My Side of the Mountain". Now, just so you know- I've read this book over twenty times. It's probably my absolute favorite book; the innocent charm of it overwhelms me. J. C. George has written dozens of books, each with an environmental core story. I instantly connected with her world view as a child, the whole take care of your Mother Earth sentiment. It's funny to me that this 'green' idea is just coming back into fashion; it never went out of fashion as far as I am concerned. Why wouldn't you want to take care of the Earth, be kind to your fellow living things. To not exploit the Earth's natural resources but rather take care of them? I don't know, sometimes I feel that I am really an odd ball; material things hold little interest to me. I would rather see a beautiful tree in the woods than an expensive name brand handbag anyday! Seriously, I hope that the new 'green movement' has success, and that it's not just another excuse for society to exploit people and the environment. I would hate for it to become a trendy status symbol.

Anyway, back to My Side of the Mountain... for father's day one year, I read the whole book on tape for Dad so he could listen to it in the car. And every time, I read it again I learn new things. During this current re-read I have been dwelling on Sam Gribley's family life. If you've never read the book, I'll give you brief synopsis. Young boy leaves family in NYC moves to the Catskill Mountains and lives in the wilderness alone for a few years. The book tells of his adventures finding food, making friends with the forest and generally surviving. So here is my dilemma, where is his family? At 12 he runs away and no one looks for him? That baffles me!! I understand it's part of the plot, but come on! While reading the book, I was really sad about the whole thing. I know it's just a book, but I was sad for the relationship that Sam had with his family. That they weren't closer. I really felt bad about it. I have an extremely close family and thankfully very loving, caring, wonderful parents. So through reading the book, I felt compelled to help people who may not have the blessings I have. I'm planning on using some of my extra time to volunteer at a local charity that helps families in need called a Woman's Place. It's just my small way of giving back to the universe. I also plan to make a new letterboxing series called My Side of the Mountain, look for it in the spring probably hidden at Hawk Mountain.