Wild

Wild was a movie I saw sometime last year and I had done a sort of review for it during the A to Z year challenge for 2015 here. Like I had mentioned before, I had wanted to read the book first. So when I chanced upon the book, I bought it without hesitation. Now, if the movie was good, the book is excellent. I must let you know that this is not a book review. But it's been so long since I spoke about a book I loved here and would just like to talk about it and the things I loved. 

I have not been one to read much of non fiction. This is a memoir, and the second non fiction book I managed to read this year. One of my reading resolutions for this year has been to read as diversely as possible, stepping into genres that I haven't before. And though my reading speed is not going too high as of now, I have decided to stop obsessing over it and enjoy each book fully. 

I picked up Wild when I was in much need of some inspiration and this book didn't fail me. There were times when I felt I was there with Cheryl, sharing some of her grief on the journey. Be it over the loss she felt over her mother's death, her marriage that breaks up into fragments as an after effect or the physical and mental exhaustion over the tedious trail. 

But most importantly, the book gave me hope. That even when things may stretch endlessly on the horizon, we must cross the bridge when it's time. That even being alone is okay. That it is okay to not feel guilty over your mistakes, acceptance and moving on forward plays a major role as well. That help may come sometimes in the form of strangers than friends or family. 

It is a book of redemption, of healing, of love. Needless to say, I loved it and would recommend it to everyone who needs some solace. Read it and it's bound to lift up your spirits as it did mine. Here are some of my favorite quotes from it that touched my core:

“I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me.” 

“The universe, I'd learned, was never, ever kidding. It would take whatever it wanted and it would never give it back.” 

“How wild it was, to let it be.”