Reactions to 'Wild'

I enjoyed the comfort and openness at which Strayed describes her experience enjoyment of sex.  Her story is incredibly real in its telling- her inner thoughts, her expression of the realities of a journey, of death. Wounds are no laughing matter, though Strayed utilizes humor in her telling of her struggles. Her self-doubt and uncertainty are refreshing; she reminds us that it is alright to be uncertain, not to know. This practice alludes to a theme inclusive of mindfulness – an open attention to the present.

It’s interesting how strayed employs the use of the word ‘wild’ for this ‘trail’, as the essence of a wilderness is lost in the establishment of a trail. While the term ‘wild’ is defined as “uncontrolled or unrestrained; not domesticated or cultivated”, a trail is “a beaten path through rough country such as a forest”, which takes away from the disorderliness of the wild.