Rebecca Jeffers

Many of you have probably already read or at least heard of the book by Elizabet Gilbert entitled Eat Pray Love. It’s been all over Oprah and although I don’t usually tend to follow the pack I must say that I found it an enlightening read. Gilbert’s prose is both sacred and profane, hilarious and sad, light-hearted and soulfully deep. I laughed out loud, I cried real tears, I prayed to any God that would listen; and most importantly perhaps, my being expanded from the experience. I was truly moved by how well she captured the complexity of who we are. Carl Jung said we must learn to hold the tension of the opposites…..we are indeed complex, dualistic creatures…..at once frail and then invincible, vulnerable and then fierce, sorrowful, hurting and then brimming with joy, funny one moment and dead serious the next……what a beautiful melange. My absolute favorite part is the translation from Italian into English of the, shall we say, off color remarks one very passionate Italian is making at a football  (soccer)game. The Italian language sounds like lyrical poetry, but in English ….oh my…..well you get the picture. I just thought it was a fabulous piece of storytelling. In Italy she intends to eat and learn to speak Italian both of which she does in no small measure. She learns that good food is like the nectar of the god’s; and in Italy the eating of it is all a wonderful ritual of community, of slowing down and enjoying life, family, and friends. She learns the sweet Ahhhhh….of time spent consciously enjoying life and most importantly, learning to let recede that American obsession of got to get it done RIGHT NOW. It’s a wonderful read and I’d love to hear other’s perspectives as well.