Eat, Pray, Love

As a Christmas gift, I received the gift of "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia." This story documents Elizabeth Gilbert's journey though, what her friends coined, the 3 I's. After a rough divorce she sets out to find EVERYTHING in these three countries.

The book is broken down into 3 books of 36 small stories each. Her introduction better explains this significance. I have it on CD, so to hear all of this in her own words is even more astounding. Every time I enter my car, I want to put it on to see where her journey may lead now. I long to hear her sweet, hilarious, dangerously intelligent voice to inspire me to write more. Hearing her writing style is urging me to write more and more. I admire her eloquences.

Although I am enjoying Italy's journey, I often struggle with her pleasure seeking through food. Since most foods she eats are nowhere near in my diet (what with my wheat allergy and all) I often strain to feel her pleasure. Yesterday, after riding around in my car with Liz for an hour or so I came home, toasted some GF (Gluten Free, for those of you who do not talk to me about food much) bread, poured some pure olive oil onto a plate, sprinkled it with salt and sat down to try get the tiniest glimpse of what she must have tasted there. Although mine was probably no comparison, the bread was much like she describes and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hearing her speak Italian and explain the roots of the Italian language is also inspiring me. No, I am not going to set out and start learning Italian. Spanish class in High School definitely proved I am not made for foreign language, but I do long to learn more about other countries. Maybe not Italy. Maybe India. Maybe Indonesia. I guess I will just have to see. My journey may not take me to any of those I's. I may only see Nashville, but I do not have to travel abroad to learn and feel some of the amazing things she encounters.