Eat, Pray, Love

Italy

India


Indonesia

Book Review

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia
By Elizabeth Gilbert


I really enjoyed this book. This book was recommended to me by my friend Michelle. The story is very telling, and honest. It is a non-fictional story about a woman who goes through a bad divorce, a sad break-up, and a horrible depression. Needless to say, I could relate to this woman, I myself have been through a sad break-up, and a couple of times of horrible depression in my life. This book said what I myself have always thought. To count on yourself. To tell yourself that you will be ok, to tell yourself that you love YOU. Yes, to have someone else tell you everything will be ok, and to have someone else tell you that they love you is wonderful, and as human beings we do need that, but sometimes we don't have what it is that we need. And all we have are ourselves, and we all need our own self. I think a lot of times, we lose that. More times than not, I know to count on myself.

The main difference between me and this woman-well their are a couple of things. She makes friends super easy. I do not have that gift. I can't go and strike up a conversation with someone, and create a friendship. I wish I had that characteristic, but I don't. I also didn't have the pleasure of traveling to different parts of the world going through the deep depressions in my life.


The first time I went through a depression was in HS. I was always an average student, and nothing I felt was ever good enough for my Dad. I love my Dad and I always have, but in HS I didn't like my Dad. We didn't talk, I had a huge fear of him, and I never heard "good job" or "I'm proud of you" from him. This was horrible for me. My Mom gave me all of the love in the world and all of the "I'm proud of you"'s in the world, but I didn't get that from my Dad, and that is where I really wanted it from. In HS, we all went to separate counseling and basically I was told that I have to live my life without that acceptance from my Dad. That yes, he loves me, but if I want to make myself happy I have to do that myself. I suppose that is where I began becoming so dependent on myself. Later in life (in November 2002, 4months after I moved to Denver) my Dad wrote me letter, tell me he is proud of me, and how he wouldn't have been able to do what I did-move to a place where I know no one, and move by myself. Every since my Dad and I have a much better relationship.


The second go round was with my break up with Aaron. I was all alone. It was horrible. Aaron and I were very touchy feely couple, and when we broke up I had no physical touch for months at a time. I started seeing a counselor and was put on Lexapro. This helped a lot, and like Elizabeth(in the book), even though I didn't want to go on any medication, in the end it helped, and it helped me get out of my depression. With Aaron out of my life, I felt all of my options were endless. I had the feeling that I could do anything, go anywhere in the world. That feeling, although freeing is also very very scary. What did I do? I bought a house. Elizabeth, she got to travel.


I loved reading the stories of her travels in this book. I love to travel, go to different places. This woman literally went to 3 different corners of the earth. How cool is that? On top of that she had 3 completely different experiences.


I would highly recommend this book!


While writing this I decided to google Italy, India, and Indonesia, and wanted to share these pictures from each place! Who wants to plan a trip?!