The pursuit of happiness

When my boyfriend saw the title of the book I’m now reading—“Eat, Pray, Love,” by Elizabeth Gilbert—he said, “That sounds like a really dumb book.” I had the same reaction when I first saw it. In this case, my first impression was totally wrong.

In the book, Gilbert, a recently divorced thirty-something, chronicles a year she spent in Italy, India and Indonesia to recover from the emotional toll of her divorce and resulting depression. She decided to spend that year in pursuit of pleasure (by eating pasta and pastries in Italy), spirituality (by meditating and learning from a Yoga Guru at an Ashram in India) and balance (seeking both pleasure and spirituality in Bali). It almost feels like three separate stories, although the author’s very strong voice and the transformation she undergoes along the way tie them together.

While reading each section of the book, I found myself wanting to follow in Gilbert’s footsteps—maybe not by actually traveling to her destinations but embracing some aspects of her spiritual journey. (Why did I stop studying Italian, the most beautiful language I have ever spoken? And why do I never go to yoga classes, even though I always love it when I do?) Too busy, I guess. Maybe it is time to stop and think about what is really important to me … this is the kind of book that can have that effect on you. I highly recommend it.

(Up next: “The Feast of Love,”by Charles Baxter, for my book group meeting in June. Two books in a row for me with “Love” in the title! How nice.)