You have come here to explore who you are and what you are here for. Your purpose as an individual and as a member of society is intertwined with your desire to reflect on the past but also move forward in life. This is how you have found yourself before Return to Pō, a coming-of-age travel memoir combining mythology, environmental conservation, and self-improvement, written by your guide along this journey, Jon-Erik Jardine.

Prepare yourself for a true story that will have you gently bobbing through the ebbs and flows of various memories, emotions, and experiences. You’ll cheer when you envision the albatross fledglings raising their wings to practice flying for the first time. Your heart will catch in your throat as you hear about how adolescents in a wilderness therapy program realize the importance of their lives as they lie in a temporary symbolic grave in the ground. You’ll laugh when you hear about the ship’s engineer who sits and stares at the clock every time he isn’t working. And afterwards, you’ll shut your eyes and remember your biggest loss and how you healed after grief.

This book is for those who are ready to face the unknown, question their upbringing and beliefs, and search their souls for areas of improvement. It is for those who have found themselves both running from and embracing death, connecting to nature and disconnecting from society. It is for those who seek truth within them—but also know the value of listening to the world around them.

If you are introspective, intrigued by the mysteries of life, and desire a stronger connection to nature, this book is for you. Perhaps you have been called to listen to it. Will you answer the call?