Spiritual Fiction

I originally read the true story “Between a Rock and a Hard Place” four years ago and I should clarify that it is not spiritual fiction. The reason I am reviewing it and have put the words spiritual fiction in the title is explained later on. You may have heard the story of Aron Ralston, who had his right hand pinned between a boulder and a rock wall. After five days he amputated his lower right forearm to free himself and basically walked to his own rescue. In 2010 his book was made into the movie “127 HOURS” and this title was added to the book.

Why Spiritual Fiction? Because you may not believe his story…

The original title of this book “Between a Rock and a Hard Place” prompted me to pick it up. The picture of Aron on the cover with a hook where his right hand should have been made it impossible for me to put down. Although this had been a major news story a few years prior, I had never heard of his ordeal. His experiences while trapped in the canyon with no way to free himself (he thought) provided him with ample opportunity (127 hours, actually) to reflect on his life and previous experiences. The movie is very similar to the book, as I read the book (again) and watched the movie within a week of each other so I could make a comparison while both were fresh in my mind.

Aron’s experience begins with a “semi-planned” trip to do some mountain biking and a mini hiking/mountaineering trip. I explain this as “mini” only because this is how Aron would describe it. To me, it would have taken me a week (without becoming trapped) to cover the territory he planned to do in a day. I also say that it was semi-planned because he was not exactly sure where he was going when he left, and he never told anyone his plans. The scene in the movie where James Franco (the actor who portrays Aron) says “oops” is priceless and it is worth watching that scene only.

While on the hiking portion of Aron’s day trip, he attempts a maneuver over a chockstone which becomes dislodged above him. As he is falling to the canyon floor, the falling stone wedges his right hand between it and the rock wall, while Aron lands on his feet. Had his hand been wedged higher up the canyon wall, Aron would have been left dangling like a marionette that had lost most of its strings and we would be reading his memoir instead of his actual story. He attempts to move the boulder while his adrenaline and strength are at their peak, and does manage to move it the barest fraction of an inch. This is remarkable considering the boulder is later found to weigh around 800 pounds!

127 Hours To Compose His Own Spiritual Fiction…

From this point on, the book alternates between Aron’s reminisces of his life up to this point, and to his current situation – stuck in a canyon in Utah. Again, I have used the words spiritual fiction, because I believe that what each of us believes could be fiction to another person. Aron has with him a mini digital video camcorder. On this camcorder, he videotapes his last will and testament over the course of the next few days as his food and water becomes used up. At different points he resigns himself to the fact that he is not going to be rescued and in all probability will die. It is at these points that he says goodbye to his family and friends on the camcorder, and these scenes are captured very emotionally in the movie.

The reminisces of Aron’s life up to this point relate the adventures of a very focused, driven young man who is not content with the normal everyday suburban type of existence. He makes no excuses for his actions, and had given up a very promising career as an engineer to pursue his passion – life in the outdoors, climbing mountains, rafting, hiking, cycling, skiing and anything else that evoked a sense of daring and excitement. While many would argue that Aron took excessive risks, and he can’t argue against those claims, a part of me envied him his lifestyle and the exhilaration he obviously experienced while living his dream. Although his fearlessness and independence almost cost him his life, the lessons that can be learned from reading his book and seeing the movie go far beyond any hiking tips that are easily apparent.

Another thing that impressed me and made me read the book a second time, was that Aron’s life WITHOUT being stuck in a canyon was well worth reading. Although some will claim that until he got stuck, his life was no different than anyone else’s, to me it proves that everyone has a story worth telling. Given the right venue and the right circumstances, there is a book inside each and every one of us. To me that is important because we all have something to pass on before we die. In Aron’s case, he simply now has a chance to do it again.

The spiritual component is not to be missed…

I would highly recommend this book (and the movie) to anyone who has ever felt that they are not appreciated. I doubt if the original recordings made by Aron would ever be made public, however I bet that they would be a powerful resource that could be used by counselors who deal with depressed and/or suicidal people. To be in a position where you have days (127 hours to be precise) to contemplate your existence to date and your almost certain demise, has to be the top spiritual existence imaginable, second only to your own death. Aron tells his story through his tears, his anger, his frustration, his laughter, his hope and the reluctant acceptance of his impending death. The book will hold you captive until the end even though you know that he survives. His subsequent challenges and further successes are related briefly at the end, and for me it was very inspiring to realize that his spirit was not broken.

I don’t believe that you will find Aron’s book listed under the category of spiritual fiction books. However, if you are having difficulty accepting or understanding spirituality, put this on your “to read” list, and if reading isn’t your thing, at least check out the movie. I guarantee that reading or watching either won’t be an “oops”.

Laughter and love,

Rick Fess

Spiritual Fiction