In Gib's Odyssey: A Tale of Faith and Hope on the Intracoastal Waterway , Gib Peters shares his extraordinary story while on a solo journey that took him through the Intracoastal Waterway. This round trip takes Peters from Key West to New York and then back. One of the most striking things about this journey is that Peters embarks on this journey while suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease (Bradley, 2011; Hardiman, 2011). Peters’ voyage took him six aboard Ka-Ching, his boat. The journey is full of both danger and adventure. The events that take place during the voyage, coupled with Peters' health status, make the book not only captivating but also full of valuable life lessons. In particular, Peters' physical and emotional limitations during the voyage compared to his accomplishments make the story even more enriching. For instance, he has to deal with increasing paralysis levels, steer the boat using his feet, and contend with a diminished ability to speak ( Bradley, 2011 ). Gib's Odyssey: A Tale of Faith and Hope on the Intracoastal Waterway is authored by Walter Bradley , Peters' neurologist. However, Peters' voice is conveyed in the book via previously shared articles and emails. This book review will highlight the central life challenge that the book highlights, the protagonist’s emotional journey, and aspects of adult development that the book conveys.
On reading Gib's Odyssey: A Tale of Faith and Hope on the Intracoastal Waterway, a reader is exposed to Peters’ soul-searching voyage while in the face of a life-threatening condition. Thus, the book’s central challenge is Peters’ encounter with death and his quest to triumph over it. Hardiman (2011) reckons that the book is “a tale of hope and courage in the face of overwhelming adversity.” In 2003, Peters was diagnosed with L ou Gehrig’s disease and given between two to three years to live (Bradley, 2011; Hardiman, 2011). This news set in motion the protagonist’s plans to go for a six-month voyage. In particular, the voyage was occasioned by Peters’ quest to use his final days on earth aboard Ka-Ching, his 29-foot motorboat. The trip would allow Peters to traverse the Great Loop before his death. This Loop covered the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Hudson River, the Great Lakes, Mississippi, and then back to Peters' hometown in Key West using the Gulf Intracoastal.
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The author highlights that while different boaters had embarked on the voyage before as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Peters' case was different. This is because he had L ou Gehrig's disease, which is a life-threatening condition (Bradley, 2011). Peters’ quest to complete the Loop was marred with physical, emotional, and spiritual limitations, implying that the voyage was more than an adventure. Instead, the protagonist was searching for meaning in his last days on earth. The severity of Peters’ condition increased as he progressed with his voyage. Likewise, the weather condition kept on worsening. For Peters' to complete the tour, he was forced to push himself and his to limit. It Peters' motivation to make it to Key West against all the odds that highlight his quest to triumph over death, even though he knew that his actions would not stop the inevitable. Ultimately, Peters’ succumbed to his condition in early 2005. His death took place a few weeks after completing his voyage. Therefore, the protagonist had managed to beat death long enough for him to complete his voyage as he had planned.
Peters also portrayed tenacity in his quest to share his experiences. To author this book, Bradley combined Peters’ emails to friends and family (Hardiman, 2011). He also made use of about twenty stories that Peters had shared with the local newspaper about his journey. Interestingly, the number of these emails and accounts reduced as Peters' health deteriorated. At one point, the protagonist could not use his arms, so he resorted to using one finger to type. He did this while also learning how to use his feet to steer the boat (Bradley, 2011; Hardiman, 2011). Despite the protagonist's challenges during his voyage, he manages to incorporate humor in his writings. In Gib's Odyssey: A Tale of Faith and Hope on the Intracoastal Waterway, Peters fearlessly expresses his yearning for life despite the inevitability of his death.
Peters' emotional journey during his voyage is indisputable. For a sixty-seven-year-old man on the verge of health-related death, Peters’ voyage was a highly emotional venture. Likewise, the fact that the protagonist sought to complete the journey with no assistance makes it even more emotional and inspiring (Hardiman, 2011). His only companions were “two kittens christened faith and hope” (Hardiman, 2011). Given these circumstances, one of the most profound aspects of the voyage is its impact on Peters' strength of character. For instance, it is clear that as the journey progressed, the protagonist's physical condition continued to deteriorate ( Hardiman, 2011 ). Despite this, he never gave up and kept his mind active by sharing his adventures. Reading the book may present the reader with a mix of emotions. Besides laughter and sadness, Peters’ journey is bound to change one's perspective of life, particularly in the context of family. Likewise, the protagonist's inspirational story highlights the need for people to embrace life wholly irrespective of their limitations.
Peters’ personal development throughout his voyage cannot be overstated. The experiences encountered during the voyage force the protagonist to develop physically, psychologically, and emotionally. It is this development that makes Peters’ journey worthwhile. For instance, he had to learn how to solely depend on himself despite his physical challenges. This is seen when he learns how to steer the boot with his feet and type with one finger. Also, Peters had to work on his emotional strength to assist him in completing the grueling voyage. From Peters’ story, it is clear that as adults grow, they are exposed to situations that force them to learn and obtain new experiences that change them significantly. Also, adults experience physical development, even though this development may be negative.
Gib's Odyssey: A Tale of Faith and Hope on the Intracoastal Waterway significantly enriched and altered my understanding of the challenges associated with adult development. Firstly, it became clear that with age, such difficulties as deterioration of health are inevitable. In Peters’ case, this is exemplified by his L ou Gehrig's disease diagnosis at the age of sixty-seven. Secondly, Peters' story shows that any physical limitation that comes with age should not stop one from living their life to the fullest. The protagonist embarked on the six-month voyage just after being diagnosed with a life-threatening disease and given a maximum of three years to live. Peters’ decision shows that the immediate circumstances should not deter adults from making life decisions that they deem important. To highlight this, Hardiman (201) cites that "throughout the trip, Gib seemed to have little regard for the disruption his journey was had on his wife and children." Lastly, Gib's Odyssey: A Tale of Faith and Hope on the Intracoastal Waterway exemplifies the value of optimism and tenacity in an adult's life. In particular, despite his limitations, Peters was not only optimistic but also put all his efforts into ensuring that he completed the Loop on his boat before dying. These elements of adult development, without a doubt, inspired and challenged me to embrace life boldly.
References
Bradley, W.G. (2011). Gib's Odyssey: A tale of Faith and Hope on the Intracoastal Waterway. Lyons Press
Hardiman, O. (2011). Gib's Odyssey: A tale of Faith and Hope on the Intracoastal Waterway. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis 12 (1): 392
