Eat, Pray, Love

Music and the scent of spring have lifted my spirits. I just picked up the new U2 album. Love it! And the snow is melting.

Also, I just finished a book called Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Wonderful! As I read this book, it was like The Neverending Story. It was like I was in it. It is a memoir of this woman's spiritual journey after divorce and world travels in Italy, India and Indonesia. I was right there with her, her experiences resonating deep in my soul. Some very strong parallels between her experience and mine. I feel like I went on her 2 year journey in the space of about 2 weeks.

Like her, I long to strike the balance between pleasure and austerity. I want to have fun in my life, but also wisdom and restraint. I want excitement but in measure. I want to be a part of the world, yet not be attached to it.

I want to hold on to deep down, unconditional contentment. And this is the kind of happiness that takes work: "Happiness is the consequence of personal effort... You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings." Elizabeth calls this "Diligent Joy." I know just what she means.

Unknown Caller by U2 (Check out this nice interpretation of the song)

Sunshine, sunshine
Sunshine, sunshine

Oh, oh
Oh, oh

I was lost between the midnight and the dawning
In a place of no consequence or company
3:33 when the numbers fell off the clock face
Speed dialing with no signal at all

Go, shout it out, rise up
Oh, oh
Escape yourself, and gravity
Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak
Shush now
Oh, oh
Force quit and move to trash

I was right there at the top of the bottom
On the edge of the known universe where I wanted to be
I had driven to the scene of the accident
And I sat there waiting for me

Restart and re-boot yourself
You're free to go
Oh, oh
Shout for joy if you get the chance
Password, you enter here, right now

Oh, oh
You know your name so punch it in
Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak
Shush now
Oh, oh
Don’t move or say a thing