"Happiness only real...

...when shared."

And so concludes Christopher Johnson McCandless toward the end of his journey into the wild.
I read this book about 11 years ago and had a haunting feeling then of the sadness that comes from a life only in pursuit of solitude or personal fulfillment. I really need to go back and reread this again.
I read it in college when many young men have the notion that they could just leave it all behind and enter nature as God gave it to us and have a better life on own.
But what happens we when pursue our personal idealistic illusions of grandeur to their fullest extent.
It probably didn't help that Rich Mullins had recently passed in that fatal car accident, and was reaching that legendary status that happens when heroes fall. Who then didn't want to give it all up, drive a Jeep and live on an Indian reservation?
But is that what we were made for or called to.
And what is it that drives us to that place that longs for that?
It's interesting what drove Alexander Supertramp, as Chris liked to call himself. The dysfunction and disappointment of his parents is a familiar pain for some many people today.
But I love the words of wisdom passed on to Chris by one older gentleman he befriends name Mr. Franz:

"When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God's light shines upon you."

Working with students has challenged me to forgive. It's also one of my best pieces of advice. So much bitterness, despair and brokenness is caused by our inability to forgive. And so many people miss out on the opportunity to love and be loved because of unforgiving hearts.

So today I must ask (1) Who and what and I unwilling to forgive, and (2) who and what are you unwilling to forgive?