This last week I found myself repeating...”Oh I need to write that down! And that, and that too”, and “I could do a whole blog on just that statement!”.
It’s all because of “Eat, Love, Pray” by Elizabeth Gilbert. I saw the movie with Julia Roberts this summer and while it was well worth the price of admission for the visual, I must admit that the audio book...read by the author...is worth its weight in gold for the emotions it evokes & story development.
For me there seems to be a strong tie to her work both in subject and emotion. There is much to be said for a person who can articulately, objectively and in great humility share their story...their truth. There is a wonderful creative writing style to be admired as well. I find myself very engaged in each emotion, story and life lesson. And I love that she can paint a mental picture for me. Let me also say that because of my personality, there were certain beliefs she expressed that I had to “agree to disagree” with.
So the purpose for this blog, and the ones that follow, will be to share those pearls of wisdom & expand on some of the life lessons which spoke to me. I hope these ramblings will intrigue you to experience it for yourself.
Where should I start? Well - where won’t I start is a more accurate statement. In all honesty I simply can’t dive into the very beginning of her story. She lays a pertinent and gut wrenching foundation for how she came to make her travel journey, recounting the events and emotions tied to her divorce. While I did not find “old wounds being opened up” (because those strongholds were broken from me...thanks be to God!!!) I just didn’t feel the need to put all of MY “it” out there for others to know. :)
STUFF THAT MADE ME LAUGH
- Here’s a great starting point - one in which we share a common experience - in describing her Italian upstairs neighbor’s sex life: ...”it was the longest, flesh smakingist, back breakinist love making session” she had ever heard. She went on to say “this slam dance” went on for more than an hour and included “wild animal calls”. The only thing she could think of while laying there was...”that sounds like an awful lot of work”. HA!!!!!
- Describing Italian men & women...there was “no detail spared in their quest for perfection”. That too sounds exhausting.
- Describing herself in light of Italian men looking at women her age...“I am apparently...invisible”. Ok, um ouch.
- When inquiring about a package mailed from the states that should have arrived months ago...“The woman looks at me like I’m blowing spit bubbles”. I have given and received that look.
- Speaking of food...“If you don’t try this...please lie to me later”. Yep, new favorite catch-all phrase.
- About eating in Italy with wild abandon...”I’m doing rude things to my body”
SOMETHING THAT PAINTED A MENTAL PICTURE
- “... a delirious banquet of Italian language”. There are several instances which she describes the love affair that she has with this language - the sound of certain words, the sometimes complex meaning, the passion with which it is spoke. It’s almost enough to entice you into buying an at home study series for yourself! But here’s my truth. I spent several painful moments mimicking the words and phrases she used, and it was...at best...just plain ugly spouting out from my lips. She also expressed that her hope was that her brain was somehow replacing the negative thoughts and sad memories (from her past) with “these shiny new words”. What a wonderful description about learning words in a different language...shiny new words.
STUFF THAT MADE ME PONDER
- Receiving the middle finger from a 7 year old on the back of a motorbike...her charming smile and finger gesture said it all: “Hey, no hard feelings lady but I’m only 7 and I can already tell you’re a complete moron”...”anyhow here’s my middle finger, enjoy your stay in Naples, and chow”. This reminds me of an amazing talent that one of my friends has, middle finger salute excluded. When I described to her a look that my dog gave me, or she sees people in pictures with funny expressions...she can, with complete & hysterical accuracy, give the funniest and most perfect thought bubble statements I’ve ever heard. Truly, she could make a six figure income off this talent.
- Thoughts about feelings...remembering how I felt at 30 about “this” (whatever “this” is) makes me cautious, at best, as to how I will feel about this at age 40. What a wonderful truth this is! Time changes the way we think and feel about “this”. It reminds me of that statement of encouragement when we have to do something unpleasant...”I can’t do “this” forever, but I can do “this” for - another hour, another day, another week”. A very painful life lesson is to realize that my concept of a season or period of time is in no way congruent with God’s definition of time.
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