Hero or Fool?

Tonight, I watched a film about a young man who went into the wilderness of Alaska unprepared, and, as a result of mistakenly eating a poisonous plant, died of starvation. Based on a true story, the film plays up the freedom of the road that the young man experiences as he travels throughout the western States for more than a year and a half.

The film focuses on him, but others are brought into the story, those whose lives he "touched" as he traveled. Not too much is made of the situation of his parents and sister, all of whom he left behind.

Was he a saint, some kind of cult hero? Or was he a foolish, selfish, self-indulgent young man who couldn't get over certain incidents in his family background?

I would have to go with the latter choice. His family didn't know where he was for almost two years. He rejected their values, possessions, and, ultimately, them.

Yes, he had a kind side, and perhaps, in a certain way, a maturity beyond his years, but this doesn't give him sway to destroy the lives of his family. Many people have baggage that they bring with them from their family situations. Families today are combined and recombined, and it's not all good, but spreading the anguish doesn't help.

Christ is the answer for those who are hurting, for those with anguished hearts. He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. We have a great High Priest who intercedes on our behalf with the Father. Let us bring our griefs to Him and be comforted by Him.