I just finished a book that was given to me by the staff at Flexibility called The Stranger In the Woods by Michael Finkel. What’s weird is that it took until the third-last chapter to draw a comparison between the character in the book, Chris, and my brother, Glenn.
They both escaped society and all its absurdities, couldn’t co-exist with people around, somehow found meaning in solitude, excluded the trappings of modern life from his own.
“He’s done some research; hypothermia, he believes, is a painless way to die. “It’s the only thing that will make me free.” (Page 182) Glenn organized his things immediately around him in such as way that showed he knew exactly what he was doing – planned completely.
“Yeah, the brilliant man,” says Knight, “the brilliant man went to find contentment, and he did. The brilliant man wishes he weren’t so stupid to do illegal things to find contentment.” (Page 183) My brother grew & sold pot as part of his income. And, yes, he was brilliant, and he was trying to find contentment somehow.
I could go on, but I won’t. The book is done. Perhaps this is why Elma chose this book. Thank you, Elma. I get it.