DIck Proenneke Response

Here's my journal entry response to the Dick Proenneke documentary we watched a few weeks ago-

It’s amazing to think about Dick Proenneke making a living on his own with the wilderness of the Alaskan mountains when we are walking out the the Thoreau house building site daily from the heated Pingree School with our North Faces, iPhones, and car keys. The thought of living alone in a log cabin I built myself by hand surrounded by almost nothing man-made is not a thought that crosses my mind often, but it’s certainly a fascinating one. I would never be able to leave my family for several years and live in a log cabin in the frigid Alaska winters. Watching Proenneke’s experiences does make me think about the life I live and the way I live it though. It’s extremely hard to think of any moments that I am surrounded by nothing man-made. It would truly be an amazing experience and it does show what the important things in life are. Proenneke lived happily in the mountains with his fireplace for warmth and no technology. We are all able to do it but we have become accustomed to a life that makes it extremely difficult to do. Proenneke’s video of his experience in the mountains makes me appreciate the Thoreau project even more. To be able to create a little piece of the life Thoreau once lived without the technology we all have now is a really moving experience. When I am having a long day or getting caught up in matters that aren’t really important, building the Thoreau house will remind me that I am lucky and there’s only a few simple things in life that I need to survive and to be happy.