A Few Words on Eat Pray Love

Reading the book a few years ago (in my former life as I like to call it), I remember feeling inspired. Not to leave my husband and fly around the world (although on second thought...). But, what I loved about the book was the reminder that all that we need in this world resides within ourselves. No thing or no person can fill that role for us. Its a lesson I am still learning. I count the book among one of my favorites.

However, in my current life now, watching the movie I found myself yearning to see the other side of the story. In the movie, yes Liz still loses herself and finds herself all over again. I respect so much her decision to take charge of her life and the kind of person she wanted to be. Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about Steven - her husband who was just left. He'd been torn out from the life he wanted and loved, and couldn't really see why. He didn't get any kind of real explanation. He made vows/promises that he had planned on keeping - for better or worse. Suddenly he was being forced out of his own vows. It made me sad for him. I couldn't stop thinking about him throughout the film.

I think a lot of women identify with Liz. In a lot of ways I do too. I have actually heard stories of women who have seen the movie and decided they need to get out of their marriages. Wow! But mostly I identify with Steven. We aren't all meant to have adventures quite as amazing as Ms. Gilbert. I would have liked to have seen what he had to do to put himself back together. I like to think that he was able to find in himself the strength to be his best self as well. I'm sure he did it more understated way, though. In the end there was a shot of Steven walking down the street with his new wife and a baby.

I guess the best we can do, no matter what trauma life brings us, is just to try and pick up all our pieces to put ourselves back together again. We might find that they come together a little differently this time, but that's okay. Everything we really need comes from within ourselves anyway.