Eat, Pray, Love, and Reflect

After reading the book 'Eat,Pray, Love' and watching the movie version, I have decided to cite the huge beautiful quotes of Ms. Gilbert and then try to relate these wonderful and amazing sayings to my own life. I have to make a confession. I saw a little of me in the author's views about bliss, loneliness, solitude, love, faith, forgiveness,balance, and finally transformation. Her being tough immersed into my whole being because although she was a broken soul for some time, it did not hinder her to explore what's beyond her consciousness, existence, and spirituality.

"From the center of my life, there came a great fountain."

My life is something ordinary though I must say it has its big blows. Part of these blows became the me that I am now. I never imagined though that simple as my life may be, the fountain of happiness and that sense of completeness would emerge. In my youth, I was alone and a loner, but I was happy.I was ready not to get married. I eloped with my books and my paper. My poems were my constant companion. The great fountain came when I realized I could give love...when I became a wife and a mother. I live a simple life yet the fountain of happiness which to me is my source of strength shall always pour unceasingly. I have never been this happy. I fervently believe, it's always family. Family is what makes me smile. My family...my great fountain.

"You were given life; it's your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight."

Beauty is something that is not seen by the naked eye. The concept of beauty is something relative. There is always beauty even in 'ugly' things because God did not create ugly things. It's our physical eye that sees what is displeasing to us. The real embo

diment of beauty is in nature. Can someone see the beauty in those dried yellow leaves that have fallen to the ground? People won't give a damn because they become cluttered and meaningless. But to a poet, it's a beautiful way to enjoy the cycle and color of life. I have many dried leaves in my life, but I have seen even the slightest marvelous beauty it has taught me. The leaves can be a teacher. At the heart of all sweetness is the conviction that there is always positivity found. In my 47 years, I have been sailing roughly, but with conviction. With the climate change that has affected the environment and our humanity, mine is still a pilgrimage that is sometimes unassuming yet goes to a direction I know I won't regret. I just have to know where the wind blows and goes. I know the velocity of the wind would carry me home.

"If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind".

"You are, after all, what you think. Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions."

The mind is extremely powerful. It can create and destroy. I can boldly say that I have full control of my life. I'm tough and whenever there are inevitable changes that occur, I manage pretty well. Twenty two years ago, I was in my lowest spirit, yet I never dared confide to anyone. I was in high spirit though my spirit was in the dark. Yes, paradox indeed. Have you been caught in the middle of life and death? I was there alone. I wanted to cry but there were no tears. All I knew was I had to be out of that 'mess'. I was in the nick of time. My mind was preoccupied with so many what ifs and could haves. I was walking with my feet above me. One day, I got out of that 'slavery'. Yes, I was a slave to my emotions and thoughts. Finally, I woke up one night, a free woman. That particular moment, I knew my God was with me. He protected me and since then on, I learned my lesson the hard way. I did forgive myself. Have you ever tried forgiving yourself? I did. Forgiving oneself is sweet. My life has never been alive. I was dead and was born again.