From Heroin to Heroine -

By Bob Cox

When you hear the word heroin, does your mind automatically go to the dark side with disturbing images of a strung out junkie, desperately shooting up the highly addictive and illegal drug? If you answered yes, you’re certainly not alone. That’s exactly what I see whenever I hear that word.

Interestingly enough, there is another word that sounds exactly the same, is spelled almost identically but has a vastly different meaning. The word heroine is the principal female character in a story, play or film. It can also be a woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for her brave deeds and noble qualities.

Amazing as it may seem, there is a real person that encompasses all three definitions above. In the 2014 movie Wild, the heroine in the movie (actress Reese Witherspoon) plays the role of Cheryl Strayed, a former heroin addict. The movie is based on Strayed’s real life experiences and her popular memoir titled Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.

The movie takes us back to 1995, when Strayed made a life transforming decision to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert in Southern California to the Bridge of the Gods in Oregon. Along this extraordinary journey, Strayed reflects back on her life experiences, including her divorce, the death of her mother and years of self destructive behavior. Her motivation to go on this solitary hike was to walk herself back into the woman her mother raised her to be. During her 94 day odyssey, she discovers an inner strength and wisdom she never knew existed.

One scene in the movie stands out when Strayed flashes back to a moment with her mother (played by Laura Dern). Strayed’s mom is cooking and humming in the kitchen with unabashed joy. Strayed becomes increasingly annoyed and shouts, “Would you stop humming that (expletive) song? What is wrong with you? Why are you happy? We have loans we’ll be paying off for the rest of our lives. Our house is falling apart. You’re on your own because you married an abusive alcoholic (expletive). And you stand there singing. What is it you’re not getting?

Her mother paused for a moment and calmly replied, “Oh, there’s nothing I don’t get, believe me. But then what? If there’s one thing I could teach you, it would be how to find your best self. And, once you found it, how to hold on to it for dear life. Actually, I’m not sure there’s anything else worth knowing. Do I regret marrying an abusive alcoholic (expletive)? No. Not for one second. Because he gave me you. You’ll have worse days than this honey. And you can let it kill you if you want, but…you know, I want to live”.

Ironically, the further Cheryl “strayed” from her old home, the closer to her new home she got. She learned the valuable lesson that a heavy backpack full of unnecessary items on a long hike is a lot like excessive emotional baggage along the journey of life. She discovered the wisdom of letting go of the need to focus on everything that was wrong with her life and began to invest her time more wisely by appreciating the beauty of everything that was right. She found a way to break free from a dysfunctional nightmare and courageously chose to take her chances by blazing new paths to uncharted territory, on earth and in her heart.

Strayed is now a successful author that’s remarried and has two children. Like her mother, she doesn’t regret the mistakes she's made, as they have brought her to a happier and healthier place.