Eat. Pray. Love. Read.

Last week I finished the book Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert. I am often quite skeptical of #1 Bestsellers, but this bestseller was absolutely deserving of that endorsement. Gilbert is a clever writer, transparent and honest, funny, insightful, and totally loveable. She has managed to do what I feel is the greatest stretch for me both as a writer and as a human being – clearly document the journey of the soul in a relatable and comprehensible way.

Perhaps it is just the place I am at in my life right now that made me feel that I was not only living vicariously through Gilbert, but that I so entirely understood what she was feeling at times that the book  may as well have been about me. Of course I cannot relate to certain aspects of her life, for example most of the things that led to her year in Italy, India and Indonesia. But there were some moments of real comfort, clarity, and assurance that came to me from that book in a way that was unlike any reading experience I have ever had.

I am saying these things to add my own endorsement for this book, but I say it with a sense of hesitancy. My experience reading this book made me feel like I was living in a parallel world to the author’s – it was so moving that I was very sad when it was over. I have never before felt like re-reading a book right after I finished the last page until this one. So, I send my endorsement with hesitancy because I don’t want people to get their hopes up. The book is entertaining and funny and generally interesting for most readers, but I know it was very special for me because of how it seemed to be scripted particularly with me in mind.

I must admit I also got quite the travel bug while I was reading. By no means is the town of Banff lacking in beauty or excitement. And it seems the world comes to you when you live in a tourist town. But, to experience the world in the way that Gilbert did – not as a tourist, but as a quasi-local – and to immerse oneself totally in the search for balance between pleasure and devotion, is something that makes my heart beat fast with excitement and passion just thinking about it. I am thankful to realize that one does not have to travel abroad to embark on that quest. I can do it right here, right now. And recently, I have realized that something in my life really had to change before I was even ready to commit myself to finding a more balanced life.

I am impressed with Gilbert’s ability to peel away the layers and see the truth beneath each of her experiences. And perhaps her incredible ability as a storyteller has led to some, well, stories throughout the book. Perhaps not even she can know if all of it is entirely true anymore. But isn’t that the truth of all of our experiences? Each day becomes a story, a summary, a metaphor. And Eat Pray Love is a story that is worth reading again and again.

© Meghan J. Ward, 2008