Good morning!
Last night Eric and I went out for Mexican food, stuffed ourselves silly on fajitas, and then headed to Chapters book store. Pretty much my dream night. I had gift cards to use and I bought Eat Pray Love and didn’t have to pay a dime.
My story with Eat Pray Love goes back a couple years. In 2008, I purchased the EPL audio book shortly after seeing Elizabeth Gilbert’s interview with Oprah.
I was going through a rough time in my life and this book really spoke to me. I felt like I knew Elizabeth and that I connected with her desire for self-discovery in some way. I thought having her voice in an audio book would comfort me during this tough time in my life and I planned on listening to the book during my commutes to and from work and school.
Ironically, not long after I downloaded the audio book onto my computer, my computer crashed and I lost everything, including the audio book. Life was busy and I just forgot about it assuming one day I would buy the book.
That day was yesterday!
I could not put this book down last night. Around midnight my eyes were drooping and I was literally falling asleep reading. I woke up with my head on Eric’s shoulder around 12:30am and I stumbled up to bed.
Sketchie also loves when I read because it means that I am actually in one spot more than 5 minutes at a time…
I love when he sleeps on me. :biggrin:
I also love how Elizabeth organized the book in terms of a short story representing each japa mala. I love how the book is divided up by the three countries that she visited, each for a different purpose along her journey. It is quite brilliant actually. The book just exudes symmetry.
I was excited when I woke up this morning for a few reasons:
1) I had a solid 8 hours of sleep
2) Today is my day off
3) I have a book to read
4) The weather is gorgeous and sunny
5) I have new music for my run today (‘Over’ by Drake is a new fav)
I used up the rest of my beet greens and some new spinach for Green Monster energy!
I also threw in some raspberries, Almond Milk, raw maca powder, 1 tbsp homemade almond butter, and 1 frozen banana.
I had another situation on my hands…
I had some Green Monster spillage as I juggled my GM and SLR camera while freaking out about walking through a HUGE cobweb. Story of my life.
It was good though.
I wanted to share with you a quote from Eat Pray Love that I think is really powerful:
“For years, I’d wished I could speak Italian- a language I find more beautiful than roses- but I could never make the practical justification for studying it…What was I going to do with Italian? It’s not like I was going to move there. It would be more practical to learn how to play the accordion.
But why must everything have a practical application? I’d been such a diligent soldier for years- working, producing, never missing a deadline, etc. Is this lifetime supposed to be only about duty?…It’s not like I was saying at age 32, ‘I want to become the principal ballerina for the NYC ballet.” Studying a language is something you can actually do. So I signed up for classes at one of those continuing education places. My friends thought this was hilarious…But I loved it.”
This got me thinking a lot about my life, Eric’s, and whether there were things that we wanted to do, but didn’t think there was a practical application for. Eric is currently struggling with some decisions in his own life (that I can’t get into, but probably will some day in the future) and I know there are many things that he wants right now, but he doesn’t think they are practical to actually do. This makes me very sad to think about. Why must we live our lives ‘by the book’ or doing what others expect of us? As Elizabeth mentioned in the quote above, why must everything have a practical purpose? Can’t we just listen to our hearts sometimes?
So I ask you today…What are the things you want to do but you aren’t sure they have a practical purpose?
One of the things that we desperately want to do at this stage in our lives is travel. We always said that our free time in our late twenties would be spent traveling together, but so far we have not found a practical purpose (or free time) to try to put this goal into action.
Eat Pray Love is such a beautiful book. I’m so excited for the movie.
I try to live every day to the fullest and avoid the idea that I should only do things that serve a practical purpose. If that weren’t the case, I would still be sitting in my office job waiting for happiness to fall upon me. Instead I’m living my dream life and loving every minute. I do wish that I had more time (and money!) to travel and I recognize that it will come.
My husband and I took a year off from working right before I went back to school for my PhD. I actually took my GRE’s in Bangkok, Thailand, sent off all of my applications while in Hanoi, Vietnam, had phone interviews while in Varanasi, India and found out I was accepted to a program while in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! We took a year to save up for our trip– and it was a tough year– but it’s amazing how much you can save when you have a goal in mind. I recommend doing it now… strike while the iron’s hot!
WOW that is awesome! Good for you! =)
This really makes me want to read this book. I have heard so many great things about it.
Before I studied abroad in Italy, I took two semester of Italian. I loved it. I only wish I kept up with it more. There are so many things I want to do, but just never seems like there is time. I agree with you on traveling. I love traveling, just wish I had time for it (and money).
I so need to read this book. I’ve been looking for something good to read. Recovering from anorexia its hard to find out ur true purpose. I started school to be a dietician and have taken time off but I feel in my heart thats why I suffered an eating disorder is to help someone else. I have such a love for fitness and nutrition, always have and I’m so over the skinny thing. now its all about the guns baby!!
Love your positive comment. Great mindset!
Obviously I would like to travel more. It is not practical entirely because of school and work, plus getting off this island can be a pain, but getting to Lisbon is really easy because it is a Portuguese island. I just got back from a 3 country trip and I am headed to mainland Europe again, but I feel like I live so close, so I should do more.
Another thing I would like to do, but not sure of the practicality of it would be learn to sail, for real, not just on a sunfish.
This is sooooo funny …
For me it’s not Italian but Japanese. I’m desperately broke right now and just listed all of my wonderful and very expensive study books on Amazon for some fast cash. But just as I was about to complete the listing process for the last one, I stopped. Japanese completely engages me when I’m studying it. It’s such a satisfying feeling and even though I’m a beginner (I’ve been a beginner for two plus years), I feel like a Super Ninja when I used to sit in a cafe with one of my study books.
But … for some reason I have always limited myself when doing something that brings me pleasure. I’ll get only so far and then stop. I’ve done this throughout my entire life, and now that I’m almost 40 years old, I’m full of regrets. My heart aches whenever I look back at all the wonderful things I could have done in my life but didn’t because I didn’t feel worthy. How can I not be worthy of study Japanese? But that’s the psychology behind why those lovely books haven’t been touched for two years. It’s almost as if things are too beautiful and precious and right to last, and so why even bother if they’re going to leave me someday?
Today, though, something stopped me from listing that last book. And before I knew what I was doing, I deleted every single listing that I had already posted. Starting tomorrow I’m jumping right back into my Japanese studies, and it’s such a wonderful feeling, as if the universe has given me permission to finally just trust that I deserve beauty in my life just as much as anyone else.
The cool thing … is that immediately after canceling my Amazon listings to sell my precious Japanese books, I found myself reading your new post and could feel tears in the back of my eyes as I realized that I’m SO not alone on this planet. Angela, everything about you and what you share on your website lifts me up, and I’m always so grateful when I come here and find something new that inspires me to keep this truck moving forward.
Thank you!
Not going to lie I had tears welling up in my eyes as I read this. Thank you Carla, this really touched me. Goodluck with your studies, it sounds like something you will really excel in. :)
I just purchased Eat Pray Love as well because I want to read it before the movie comes out. So far I’m only a few pages in but hope to have more time this week to continue reading.
I’d love to pursue my passions and embark on a career path that I’m passionate about but practical reasons definitely hold me back. Hopefully one day I will be able to let go of those limitations and move forward with my dreams.
I LOVE that book. I started reading it when my husband and I had just moved to Germany. It totally helped me get over the transition of living in another country for 2 1/2 years, and it helped me realize, “Hey, I’m here. Let’s make the best of it. What can I learn from this situation?” It truly made the years pass by so quickly, and we just now moved back. Love, love, love that book. I’m even more excited now that it is made into a movie!
I have always wanted to read this book and now I have to! I love this review and the last question is definitely something to think about. I would have to say traveling is one of those things James and I would love to do too!
I’m reading EPL right now and it has inspired me so much already!
Before I switched programs, I was aiming towards a medical degree because I thought it was the practical thing to do. I’m so glad I went with my passions and switched to nutrition! In the end, it’s all about what makes you happy, not which career is the most profitable.
you know what wasn’t practical?
-going to East Timor on a holiday instead of going home to visit my family
-dumping my life and soul into my faith—at least that’s what I thought at first
-GOING TO NURSING school at 26, taking on 63,000 in debt
you know what’s even less practical…not following my dreams.
Amazing comment
i agree <3
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html
Love this!
She is scared of seaweed too. I had to note that.
i adore you.
I’ll be interested to see what you think of that book. I loved it at first, but eventually started to really dislike it. But that is all I will say until you finish reading! :-)
Most of the things I want to do have a practical application, I just don’t have the time. I want to go to law school, but I need to finish my MBA first (since I am halfway, it doesn’t make sense to quit now!). I want to learn to sew and garden, but no time. I also want to re-learn how to speak spanish.
I suppose the only nonpractical thing is that I want to do a graduate level integral psychology program. How does a business / law student apply integral psychology….?! hehe…..
Hi, I love your blog, I, too, an reading EPL and love it, can’t wait for the movie. I would just love to see Elizabeth Gilbert’s interview with Oprah, but I can’t find it anywhere…do you have a link directly to the video of the whole interview??? (THANKS!!! for it if you do, and for writing your blog, you are VERY inspirational :))
I couldnt find it anywhere myself on the Oprah website..maybe it is on Youtube?
I tried youtube, no luck :( but thanks!!!
I’d love to go back to college, but I am unsure if I would ever even use another degree. One day I would love to get a bachelor’s instead of just an associate’s. But all of that time and money that I don’t have….I don’t know. I feel like I should be spending it on other things!
omg i am so in love with this book- it inspired me to travel to many places on my own! and feel that way for french (the way e. gilbert talks about wanting to know italian for no reason).
Glad you are enjoying the book! I read it a couple of years ago and I have admit it wasn’t my fave read. Like someone commented above I really wanted to like the book, but I just found myself not really enjoying it at all. But I do appreciate the message of the book.
One day I would love to be able to teach Pilates (or get qualified to). Doesn’t really have a practical purpose, but is one of my life goals!
PS: I thought of you the other day when I got my CSA. One of the spring onions I got this week was so huge it was nuts. They just keep on getting bigger!
I can’t wait to read this book! I just got it out of the library.
So, I had this WEED growing in my garden and I had no idea what it was until I read your blog and realized it’s PURSLANE! Since I don’t use pesticides in the yard, I can EAT IT. I can’t wait to try it – or more likely, see what you do with it and then try to replicate ;)
its great in GMs!
I just bought the book and am so excited to start reading it! I haven’t been excited about a book in quite a while. I think it is going to be perfect for me at this time because I am going through a lot of self discovery right now. I am taking classes to be a certified yoga instructor and we are learning how to get in our bodies and really connect. My body has seemed so foreign to me that it is opening up new experiences that are kind of intimidating. Im learning to just go with whatever I feel because it is right at that time in my life.
My number one thing I want to do is travel! I want to really experience the world before I “grow up.”
This is so ironic… I was just at the grocery store and was browsing the book section (for cookbooks, of course!) when I found a copy of Eat, Pray, Love. It was marked down to $12 and I thought I remembered reading a blogger’s comments on the book (maybe you?). So I bought it and plan to start reading it tonight! I’m so glad you made this post :)
I’m not sure if this is practical or not, but:
After college I want to open my own Vegetarian restaurant/Natural Foods Store. I would also like to write a book about fitness and switching to whole foods. I feel like my brain is exploding with nutritional knowledge that could be used to help people!!
Hi Angela, great post – as very true. I started learning Russian 6 weeks ago – after wanting to learn for 12 years and trying to no avail on my own with books etc. If you never start, you’ll certainly never arrive, so i finally just did it. Which is also why i’m booked to go skydiving for my first time this weekend after being enthralled by base jumping for ages. Seriously! I never have the money and i never have the time (to do these great plans i want – travel etc too) because i’m trying to make the money…a bit silly. I think after starting this journey myself that you don’t need to plan the world trip right now, you just need to plan to go somewhere, someplace and start that journey. The rest will come if you want it to. Take care :)
Hey, I’m Russian. :) let me know if you ever want to practice.
Kate