The term journey can differ from person to person, but the end goal is usually something that is interchangeable with others who chose to embark on their own journey. Since the idea of a journey is different between people, the simple definition of traveling from one place to another lacks in its ability to really define what it means to start ones' own journey, so what is a proper definition? For Pat Tillman his journey was his life; from the day he stepped on the football field to the day he died in the Khost province of Afghanistan. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) provided the journey jor Cheryl Strayed, an elaborate adventure to seek closure for the death of her closest friend, her mother. These furnished insight and meaning there has to be obstacles that a person will be challenged to overcome, a sense of purpose and meaning, and finally the motivation to complete when failure is imminent. .
The book Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer describes the story of Pat Tillman and how he progressed through life and how his death triggered the emotional response of his family to get the truth. Throughout the book Pat faces numerous challenges that build his character to the man that everyone one close to him will always remember him by. He is described by family members as fiercely loyal, dedicated and kind; to others he was seen outwardly as a jock with few skills other than those on the football field. The true nature of Pat was only revealed openly to those he kept close, his family and his wife Marie. Pat's entire life should be considered his journey because it shows who he became and what he sacrificed for his beliefs, it would be an injustice to only view his military or football experience as his only journey or the more valuable portion of it. Marie explains "Pat decided that going into the military was what he needed to do " (Krakauer 159), he shows an understanding that nothing lasts forever and knowing himself he would not be content with what he considers a life of relative ease (Krakauer 158).