I have been using A Walk Across America, by Peter Jenkins as a required reading for over ten years, in The Lifestyle Enhancement class I instruct at Southeast Missouri State University. I also require: Tuesday's With Maurie. These two exemplary accounts of life and its meaning and purpose, serve as a primary source of motivation for the seventy five behavior change projects each student must engage in each semester.
At the conclusion of each semester I ask the over 100 students enrolled in all three sections, if I should reduce the required readings, by eliminating either book? The answer is an emphatic, no! I have included some comments from students presently enrolled in the class.
"This book definitely affected me in a positive way. I believe that I always look for the deeper meaning in things, and this book had a pretty obvious one. In a time period where everything is getting ready to change for me (I am graduating in May, moving, and starting a career), it made me realize that other people are scared too, and that you can be successful even if you are afraid and unsure now".
"Reading this book has made me think more about the decisions I've made in the past and now. I believe that my life is somewhat like Peter's life was before he decided to "walk". I have done, and still do a lot of things that other people expect of me. Don't get me wrong they are all beneficial things, but they are done for the wrong reasons. Things I do, choices I make should be for me, not for one that wishes they could've live their own life in a different way. I admire the fact that peter just decided that he was going to "walk" his life out. He now could have some control over the problems he faced and how he would, himself, solve them".
The words and tales Peter Jenkins described helped move my students out of their comfort zone, and created an amenability and impetus for change. A Walk Across America is an outstanding tool to create insight and pride in our country and most importantly the book serves as the motivation for students to walk out of the ordinary and into an extraordinary lifestyle.
Additionally, students are assigned a take home midterm and are asked to answer four questions about the book and must summarize each in two pages. I have included some student responses, which document the progress students have made in both intra and interpersonal growth. I am aware of no better way to get students to examine their lifestyle.
"I think that I will grow from this book, because it has showed me that I can do anything that I put my mind to. There is nothing that is impossible it is just a matter of me getting out there and doing it. This man trained himself, put his body through hell, and still was victorious in what he wanted to do. This also showed me that there is a great world out there and many great people. Sometimes it seems that when things are not going so well in my life that I want to blame it on other people. I now realize that I am the only person that can make myself happy. I am in charge of my own fate, and no one can take that away from me. The main thing that I learned from this book is that anything is possible once you put your mind to it. I want to leave this paper with one of my favorite quotes that I feel is most fitting for Peter Jenkin's story. "A Journey of a Thousand Miles begins with one step".
"I think I will grow by letting myself "walk" after graduation. I am not going to walk across the country, but I think I will explore my options a little more. Maybe it isn't so important that I get a job in my field immediately. There are some things I would love to do first and maybe this is the perfect time to try them."
I am certain, that without this classic book, A Walk Across America, I would not be able to move my students from where they begin to where they need to be.
