When I read Eat Pray Love, I learned a great deal about the inner-workings of author Elizabeth Gilbert's mind and my own as well.
For instance, inside me lives a rebellious person who rails against "living in a box". Strike the image of a Lisbeth Salander from your mind and imagine the mother of Calvin from the Calvin and Hobbes comicstrip:) Since I am a conformist, my inner-rebel surprised me. Then again, I've worn a conservative wardrobe and shown off a big bold butterfly tattoo on my leg since I was 21 years old. Upon reflection, I realize that I love my tattoo not only for what it symbolizes to me but for the visual reminder of my rebellious spirit.
Also, I learned that I *love* food. Yes, I've always loved eating at restaurants with friends. Holiday dinners or parties featuring delicious food are definitely my preferred settings for socializing. But I've learned "dolce far niente" or "the sweetness of doing nothing". Years ago on a trip to Paris, I found myself walking among the commuters at the end of the day. They stopped to buy cheese, bread, wine and flowers for the evening. This was not a weekend night or a holiday but a regular ol' day. Such a contrast to my end-of-the-day routine! When I think of this, I find a wonderful book to read and I pair the experience with a plate of cheese, bread and fruit. Pure pleasure!
Best of all, I know what I would do if I had more money than God. Travel. Travel to learn. Travel to reflect. Travel to meet new people. Travel to challenge myself. For now, I travel in the pages of the NY Times Travel Section, my friends' slideshows of their adventures or my beloved books. And this suits my life because so much of my current happiness stems from living a simple life at home.
There's some debate about whether Ms. Gilbert's memoir is worthy of so much attention and praise. No book is perfect but any book that allows the reader to learn is definitely a "must-read".
