Freedom

Sunday, on top of Church Mountain

There is an amazing sense of freedom at the top of a mountain, especially when you have nothing on your feet, no money, no cellphone and only minimal clothing. And you have already run eight miles to get here and will have to do another eight to get back. It is kind of cool being isolated from all that clutter that modern man takes for granted.

I do realise I am a long way from true freedom of this sort. I still need and depend upon my warm bed, meals provided and companionship.  I would not do well relying on hunting and gathering.

from the new Jungle Book

But I suppose that is why stories like Mowgli appeal to me. They let me imagination run riot; I go places that in reality I'll never go. Did I say I am planning to see the new movie next Wednesday? If it is as good as is made out I guess it will be as close as ever I'll get. A bit like driving a car is as close as perhaps I'll ever get to flying. Which I have always wanted to do. Real flying, of course, although a small airplane might be a second best.

The 1967 cartoon version is still a favourite for me. I never tire of watching clips from it. And I didn't realise until writing this post that there was an earlier Jungle Book film dated 1942!