Friday, August 13, 2010

Day 14- A Non-Fictional Book

"Search for God like a man with his head on fire searches for water." -Eat, Pray, Love


It started out with a movie trailer.

When I saw Eclipse (don't you judge me), one of the previews before the movie advertised Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts. It had shots of Rome, India, and Indonesia and from what I could tell, basically just documented someone who was doing some extensive world traveling. This was, of course, enough for me. Italy? India? Bali?

Umm..yes, please.

Oh yeah. And James Franco is starring in it. Super yummy delicious.

Hastening on.

After I saw this preview, I was gushing to random, unsuspecting, innocent victims and was informed that this movie, was in fact, a book. After recovering from my happy little seizure, I was struck down once again by the realization that not only was this a book, but it was a book that was located in my own house. On my dad's bookcase. In his office. And the happy little seizure resumed.

I could not put the book down (until I had to) and it completely and totally consumed me. I mean, I could relate on some weird level. Not to the actual circumstances through which Elizabeth Gilbert was going, but the feelings and emotions described? It was like someone had jumped into my head and shoveled these descriptive words right out. And then, because they had gone through it, some insight followed. Now, granted, it's not totally, completely applicable, not all of it, because when she speaks of deities and stuff (in her search for faith. Thus, the whole "pray" part.) she refers to several of them. Things that I don't necessarily...okay, at all, subscribe to or look to, really. But, still, she comes back and gives a lot of insight (even then) into a relationship with "a god" similar to my relationship with my God. It's pretty amazing and awe-inspiring to see that some of the very conversations you've had have been had by other people. And it assures you that you are not a lunatic for having said feelings, emotions, and conversations in the middle of hopelessness, despair, and/or happier situations. And when I say not a lunatic, I mean that you are probably not crazy. But there's still that possibility.

Anyway, if you have free time (or even if you don't), you probably just have to pick up this book. And read it. Absorb it. Think about it. Because honestly, it's just that good.

"I would not have accepted any other answer. I would not have trusted a great booming voice....because that's not true wisdom. True wisdom gives the only possible answer at any given moment, and that night, going back to bed was the only possible answer. 'Go back to bed,' said this omniscent interior voice, 'Because you don't need to know the final answer right now, at three o'clock in the morning on a Thursday in November. Go back to bed, because I love you. Go back to bed, because the only thing you need to do for now is get some rest and take good care of yourself until you do know the answer. Go back to bed, so that when the tempest comes, you'll be strong enough to deal with it. And the tempest is coming, dear one. Very soon. But not tonight. Therefore: Go back to bed."

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