The Sinclair Library will be hosting a Zoom discussion on “Life Decisions” on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at noon on the book “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” by author Cheryl Strayed.
The book, a memoir of Strayed’s life tells the story of her 1,100-mile journey along the Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from Southern California to British Columbia, Canada.
Strayed’s own journey took her from the Mojave Desert to the Bridge of the Gods in Washinton as she fought through past traumas stemming from the death of her mother at 45 to lung cancer, a divorce, her family’s own personal withdrawal and an addiction to heroin.
“Wild is built on the savage sorrow I had, the grief, the things that messed my life up,” says Strayed, in an article written by her alma mater, Syracuse. “[Writing it] required me to go back in time and deeply contemplate a former, younger version of myself and the people in my life. I had to look at everything anew and make sense of those experiences. This allowed me to heal and accept myself more, and evolve, and once again say I do really feel grateful.”
Strayed, who says she grew up poor and on food stamps and who struggled with debt even as her book was being published, raising two children with her husband in Portland, Oregon said that she refused, at the time, to go on food stamps, even though she was eligible, because of the guilt and shame she felt about the stigma from her childhood.
The Sinclair discussion will focus on life choices and the effects those decisions have on our lives, both present and future.
“Everyone makes Life Choices every day whether we realize it or not,” said a Sinclair librarian about the event. “Maybe an intentional life choice helped you get to where you are today. Or perhaps unplanned events or unexpected opportunities changed your life course.”
Strayed’s book eventually reached #1 on The New York Time’s Bestsellers list and in 2014 would have a film adaptation starring Reese Witherspoon as Strayed.
Witherspoon and co-star Laura Dern would earn Oscar nominations at the 87th Oscars for the film’s adaptation, catapulting the book into the mainstream.
“I’ve never worn high heels until this month,” Strayed said in an interview with The Telegraph about the change in her life as her book was transformed into an award-worthy film. “I’m doing all these red-carpet things with Reese and with certain clothes you just have to wear heels. And I am so not a heels person.”
She went on to speak about how the film and her book portray her and the life she had and the changes she’s made along the way, working through her trauma and heartache along the way. Many have criticized her “character,” for lack of a better term, in the book and in the film, as she doesn’t portray herself in a very flattering light. Her response is that it was a truthful depiction of who she was and how her life was and how you can slowly work to changing those things.
“I think that is the whole point of art, to tell us the truth about ourselves,” said Strayed in Telegraph. “I’m saying, ‘This was my experience, this is what happened, this is what I made of it.’ The book wouldn’t have been successful had I done otherwise.
“Most of us are afraid of [being honest] because we think people will judge us. Certainly, people have written nasty things about me, but the love and gratitude far outweighs the hate. And you’re always going to be hated. Especially in this online culture where you can say anything to anyone without any responsibility.”
To attend the event or for more info visit: sinclair.edu/events.
Richard Foltz
Associate Editor