Eat, Pray, Love, and LOVE some more

I wasn’t supposed to like the book.

I happened to catch Elizabeth Gilbert on Oprah at my mother’s house during one of my visits to California from Italy. I thought she was pretentious. I thought she was superficial. I thought she was naive.

I thought she didn’t know a thing about life in India… or in Italy… both of which I had lived in for several years without a book to my name while she was making millions after only four months in each place. (Okay, I was snarky.)

But really, my hackles come up when I think people are stereotyping these countries I’ve lived in. Life in India is not all **HOLY** and Italy’s not all about sex and food… well, okay, maybe it is all about FOOD.

But, anyway, it was mostly the simplistic holy India stuff I objected to.

But I read the book.

And though I really wanted not to like it, I LOVED it.

Ms. Gilbert was intelligent, and thoughtful, and introspective in genuine ways. She looked at her life and understood some things. I wanted to read it again as soon as I’d finished.

Now the movie’s out. With Julia Roberts in Liz Gilbert’s role (and looking uncannily like her in some scenes).

The movie’s not as good as the book. It’s more superficial. It’s an external view, as movies are, while Gilbert’s journey was mostly internal. It is beautiful though, and a pleasant way to spend two hours. The color, beauty, and sensuousness are appealing for people like me — and probably you, if you’re reading this — who revel in color and texture.

The scenes of Italy and India made me miss both my homes. I realized that I miss hearing the Italian language spoken almost as much as I miss Tibetan. And a good pizza…

And INDIA! Those dirty chaotic street scenes still tug at something deep in me. Strangely, though, my Indian experience was more like her Italy in many ways.  And my Italy was nothing like hers.

The scenes that touched me most deeply, though, were two that speak to feelings present in me now. Back in California. Making a new home.

Wise Richard from Texas counsels Liz who misses her boyfriend.

“I love him,” she pleads. “I miss him.”

“So miss him,” Richard responds. “Send him light and love every time you think of him and drop it.” (Okay, the light and love stuff is a little corny, but you get the point. Send him your best intentions. Wish him well. Metta. Lovingkindness.)

Later, Liz holds her ex-husband in her thoughts. She holds him with love and release. And feels his pain.

“I really did love you,” she tells him. (And I know my own husband would tell me the same.)

“I know,” he replies (and I hear myself). “But I still love you. I miss you.

“So love me,” says Liz in her wise Richard voice. “Miss me. … and then drop it.”

Feel the feelings. Don’t pick up the story. That’s what being awake’s about.

It won’t last forever. Nothing does.

Oh, and believe in love again. Bali comes next 😉