On my backpack that I carry around every day, the one that has my books and journal and sudoku puzzles and Bible in it, I have two patches that Cyndi sewed on for me. The oldest patch is red and white and says Keep Exploring. It was given to me by my daughter Katherine Noss in 2016, and I love if for two reasons: (1) it describes who I want to be and how I want to live – physically, intellectually, artistically, all that; and (2) it makes me happy that my adult children see me as that sort of person.
The second patch features a yellow graphical seashell on a blue background and is a symbol of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Having the patch nearby reminds me of our adventure last summer when Cyndi and I walked on the Camino.
One morning last week I pulled a book from my backpack: It’s Your Call by Gary Barkalow. In his book, Gary asked, “If I took you into a Blockbuster and asked you to find a story that best represents the story you are living in, in what section would you start looking: action and adventure, drama, comedy, sci-fi and fantasy, animation, horror, family and kids, mystery and suspense, romance, documentary, war? The reason I ask is because the story you believe you are living determines how you interpret and react to life.” (I’m sure Gary would use Netflix or Prime nowadays rather than Blockbuster.)
I thought a long time about his question. Cyndi and I have a long list of movies we like to watch, over and over, but do those movies describe our story?
Just because a movie is fun and entertaining doesn’t mean it represents the story we want to live. For example, I enjoy all five Bourne movies, but I don’t want to live the lonely and invisible life of Jason Bourne. I need more personal contact than that. And more opportunity for influence.
Cyndi and I like to watch romantic comedies, especially since we assume all love stories (as well as all love songs) are really about us. However, since we’ve been married almost forty-five years and we dated two-and-a-half years before that, the on-again off-again stories in most romantic comedies are not our story, and certainly the story we want to live.
I also enjoy stories about quick adventures, like sky diving or hang gliding or flying at Mach 2, but those are mostly one-and-done bucket-list dreams. They describe an exciting lifestyle but don’t leave much room to invest in other people.
What if I could choose the story of my life? Which category would I pick? The stories that pull at my heart and make me want to jump into the movie are epic tales that last a long time and change the characters in significant ways.
So, instead of searching for an open Blockbuster, I took a quick look at our collection of DVDs and made a list of ten movies that tell stories I WISH I was in.
A Walk in the Woods (2015) … two men in their sixties, both inexperienced backpackers, decide to hike the Appalachian Trail. (When we saw this in the theater, Cyndi leaned over during a scene when the men were pushing through the night in a blizzard, and asked, “You wish you were there with them, don’t you?”)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) … Mitty tries to keep his seemingly mundane job by traveling around the world chasing a legendary photojournalist. What does he learn? The lesson of most pilgrimages – he had what he needed all along. And, it wasn’t his job.
The Way (2010) …An ophthalmologist mourns the death of his adult son by completing his son’s dream to hike the Camino de Santiago. The trip opens his heart and wakes him up to a new life of travel and adventure.
The Lord of the Rings Movies trilogy (2001-2003) … essentially a long, long walk by a tribe of companions across mountains and through the woods interspersed with deadly combat. Perfect!
180 Degrees South (2010) … a group of climbers travel to Patagonia, Chile, to climb mount Fitz Roy. “The best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn’t even think to ask.”
The Martian (2015) … An astronaut stranded alone on Mars takes a 90-day cross-country journey in order to be rescued and returned to earth. He decides not to passively accept his situation but take control of his future by solving complex technical problems.
Journey on the Wild Coast (2010) … A married couple attempt to walk, paddle and ski under their own power from Seattle to the Aleutians along the wild and remote northwest coast of North America. This is not fake reality TV. This is the real thing.
Mile … Mile and A Half (2013) … In an epic snow year, five friends leave their daily lives behind to hike the 221-mile John Muir Trail in 25 days. “You need to EARN that view at the top of the mountain.”
Running the Sahara (2007) … A documentary chronicling three men who run 4,300 miles across the Sahara Desert. Each of them decides at different times to quit but each time the other two talk him out of it. Their journey from Senegal to the Red Sea took 111 days.
On A Clear Day (2006) … After losing his job at a Glasgow shipyard, a 50-year-old man decides to swim the English Channel in order to bring new purpose into his life. After pulling his friends into his training regimen and swim attempt, he successfully completed his journey of 21 miles swimming in frightfully cold water.
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Epic adventure stories aren’t only in movies. While typing this I’m watching Stage 15 of the Giro d’Italia bicycle race. And in about a month I’ll watch the Tour de France. I seldom watch the one-day classic races but I’m drawn toward these epic multi-day stage races. I long for larger-than-life stories.
How about you? What category tells the story of YOUR life?
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“I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free.”
Psalm 119:32
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Running to Forgive
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