I just finished reading The Tracker by Tom Brown Jr. The man and the stories have come to me over six years of taking high school students on weekend retreats. Curiosity finally caught up with me and I found that I had to buy some of the books through Amazon.
I was, and still am, not in the slight bit disappointed. I understand there may be some controversy about Tom Brown and his abilities. I’m not sure such tracking abilities are even possible. But that is not the point of the book. The story is a spiritual journey. It contains small lessons about nature, animals, and humans. I identified with each situation. Not in the sense that I spend hours camouflaged trying to track a deer, but in the sense that I am trying to find the deeper truth that is all around us. I truly believe that at some level we are all looking for that thread of life that connects our soul to the world.
I have little interest in tracking animals. But I very earnestly want to be a “tracker” of people. I’m a people watcher. I want to know what makes different people tick. I wonder how we all end up on the path we are on. This is certainly why I am a counselor and why I like working with young people. Throughout this book I was trying to think of what skills I need to practice. How can I become “invisible” and use it to mentor some one in solving his problems? What do I need to learn to observe and track?
It is a book that won’t remain on my bookshelf long. I will be lending it out. I’m sure I’ll reread it again. Especially the last story. Pick it up for that story alone.
