Meet Spirit Bear in the bosom of Mother Nature

Fifteen-year-old Cole has no other choice.
I had no choice but to accept Indian Gabi's offer.
I've been to the police station several times, but this time things are different.
To avoid prison, you must undergo a preliminary hearing and be sent to a remote island in southeast Alaska.
An attempt to escape exile fails, and Cole faces a Spirit Bear, is horribly injured in the fight, and awaits death.
Only then does Cole's anger turn to humility.
In Mother Nature, there is no one to hate and no one to vent one's anger on.
There is nothing left to do but face oneself.
I have no memory of being loved by anyone, and of course, I have never trusted or loved anyone.
My dad was always drunk and hitting Cole, and my mom was indifferent.
Cole did the same to Peter, his classmate, and to himself.

The author vividly portrays the lives of juvenile offenders, exploring the roots of their anger while holding them accountable for their actions.
It also raises questions about the current judicial attitude that makes everyone a victim.
From unexplained anger that spirals into violence to taking responsibility for one's actions and finding forgiveness, it inspires us on the path to reconciliation we long to find.

Cole was a naive, boyish fifteen-year-old who had spent half his life in and out of the Minneapolis police department.
People all believed that Cole was repenting his sins and was going to the island to pay the price.

--- p.10

“Why are you making such a fuss?”
“For healing.
It's about making them pay for their sins through healing, not punishment.
If you killed my cat, you should love other animals more.
You and I open our hearts to each other, and I let go of my anger toward you and forgive you.
That's the circular verdict trial.
Anyone, including local residents, can participate in the healing process.
Anyone interested.
But healing is much more difficult than just punishment.”
--- p.19

Edwin took out his keys, grabbed Cole roughly, and removed the handcuffs.
“As long as you hold resentment in your heart, you will always wander.
If you desire it deeply in your heart, you will find yourself here.”
--- p.29

I also had a dream where I was beaten all over by rain that poured down like huge hailstones, leaving me covered in bruises.
But more than any other dream, the dream of being left alone with no one to care for me was the most terrifying.
Cole is now suffering from the most terrifying nightmare of his entire life.

--- p.102-103

Spirit Bear looked down at Cole, his breath thick with a musty odor, casting a shadow over his body.
And right in front of your nose.
The bear stood tall next to Cole's arm, and the raindrops on its pure white pillar-like legs were as sparkling as dew.
For a moment, it seemed as if the whole world had stopped.
There was no wind, rain, cold, time, pain, or sound.
Only Spirit Bear existed.
The bear's sparkling black eyes held eternity.
The bear's gaze was so intense that it seemed to pierce through my heart without a moment's hesitation.

--- p.131

As dusk fell and visiting hours ended, Cole was left alone, lost in thought, and there was no one by his side.
At such times, as he suffered from nightmares of his limbs being torn apart and struggled with the loneliness of being alone, fear and anger—yes, the very anger that had been squeezing him every moment—rose again.
Edwin was right.
Anger doesn't go away just because you deny it.

--- p.160

“I was attacked by a bear and I thought I was going to die.
I felt like I was a complete idiot.
I would say it's incredibly trivial.
I didn't even know why I existed.
I was scared because I just thought I was going to die.
You may wonder what I'm talking about, but at the moment of my death, I suddenly realized how meaningless my life had been.
No one believed me.
“Until then, I had never loved anyone, and no one had ever truly loved me.”
--- p.181

“It’s just what you want.
“May the time you spend on this island be a blessing that you will remember forever.”
“What is there to bless?”
Edwin said.
“Find yourself, bless your life!”
--- p.193

“The world surrounding us is overflowing with all kinds of power.
There are strong animals like whales, bears, wolves, and eagles.
There are natural forces such as the sun, moon, and seasons.
There are also powers within us, like happiness and anger.
We can feel all this power and express it through dance.
There are countless lessons to be learned from anything that has power.
We saw a whale today, so let's do a whale dance tonight.
“Each person talks about what they learned while watching whales.”
--- p.210

“I danced the dance of anger.”
“So, what did you learn?”
“I forgive you.
Getting angry is giving someone complete control over you and allowing them to manipulate you as they please.
“I think forgiving is me getting my feelings back.”
“So how did you express forgiveness on the totem?”
Cole answered hesitantly.
“Not yet.
There's still something missing.
There are things that cannot be filled with regret or forgiveness.
I have to find a way to help Peter somehow.
Until then, I don't think I'll be able to carve anything into the empty space.
“Only if I find that can I be fully healed, right?”

--- p.271