Eat, Pray, Love

I went today to see the movie Eat, Pray, Love with Maureen. I had read the book and while I enjoyed it, I found it to be a bit overrated. Going to see the movie was nice, but I think I would have gotten a different message out of it if I weren't licking my self-inflicted wounds from a break-up. I wanted to feel inspired by it, but really, I just felt it hit too close to home for me right now.

It talked about forgiveness and personal growth, the concept of keeping a balanced life, trusting in love. There was a scene when Liz is in Rome getting a tour of some ruins and hearing the story of the transformation of the ruins over time. "Ruin is the road to transformation" she said.

There were many sayings and statements in the movie that gave me pause, another being "Having a  broken heart only means that you tried."

I don't remember what I got out of the book, but there was a scene with a ganesh. Liz is shopping with one of her boyfriends and there is a shelf full of them. He is a hindu god who protects against obstacles. "I could use a bunch of those" Liz says.

Liz travels the world after divorcing her husband; starting in Italy, then on to India and then on to Bali. As I recall from the book, she was able to get a financial advance because she would write about her travels. Part of me loves the idea of that; leaving everything and 'finding myself'. The other part feels lonely just at the thought of it. Besides, I know who I am already.  Traveling and meeting new people, bonding with them then having to part ways again, having learned your lessons from each other and life's storybook requiring that you end a chapter and move on. "Nothing lasts forever" says Liz.  I am all too aware of this concept. We learn it as children really. Learning from people in our lives and then moving on is all part of life. I don't care for this aspect of life though.

I confess that I have very few people who I've severed ties with and now look back on with love, admiration and lots of appreciation for having had that person in my life. Mostly all I remember is the feeling of loss, or the feeling that my life is ultimately better without them. I don't like either feeling.