Elizabeth Gilbert wrote a book that I absolutely adored, and dreamed that I could one day emulate as I struggle through writing my own history. http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/eatpraylove.htm
She made me want to throw my cares to the wind, chase dreams, and look for rainbows. The disillusion of self, and heartache rendered by her dependence on others was like reading the introduction to my own story.
And as I frequently encounter the next mental and creative block, I came across this speech by Gilbert, on the pressures and battles of creativity, and how to carry the burden. And importantly, how much self doubt she still carries in her ability, and how hard it is still for her to sit down and write.
.Check it.
4 comments:
Hey Miss K. Love your blog, but hated Eat Pray Love. To me, it was just whinging from a priveleged uupper-class woman who had nothing real to whinge about and journeyed around lauding the spirituality of places she never really opened her eyes to see (the poverty etc). Sorry. Didn't mean to rant on my first comment here. Next time I won't be as preachy, I promise.
Fair enough :). I too was aware of how little it revealed about the places she visited, the tale was very internal. I didnt mind this though, it wasnt a story about her travels so much as it was a story of self-discovery, it WAS selfish and it WAS all about her. Spirituality too is different for some people I suppose, mine (and I imagine yours too judging by your comment ;-P) comes from exposing myself to the very raw edge of a place, the nitty gritty. Gilbert clearly has a different background and a different perspective on how she gets to her spiritual place. Personally Ive tried the meditation thingy and I gave up!
Mind you, I dont think being privileged and upper class has any bearing on the quality of her story (apart from the fact that she could afford to travel- damn her!) because Im sure many other women regardless of class have been there too (myself included). All those feelings; self-pity, denial, hatred, resentment, all those emotions that eat away at you, will do so regardless of your background. Maybe she would have appealed to a wider audience if she had risen from the ashes, an impoverished childhood etc, but I think the beauty of her story lies in its ability to be played out in the minds of many women who have ever doubted the shit out of themselves. She may not have seen the horrors of war or poverty but its all relative... and I think she touched alot of people who DO spend too much time telling themelves that their feelings don’t count because they are insignificant to the things that some people have had to go through. Depression is a classic like that, you couldn’t look a depressed person in the eye and tell them that their are children in the world who don’t even have clean water... every persons own story and how they tell it is in context to the live they have lived.
Epic comment response... sorry! But thanks for your comment :D
Im looking forward to your next one ;)
ha! wow that was way too long... should have just modified the blog post!
hehe very long response!! but i totally agree! i loved this book, i think its about time i read it again :)
And you are right in that what was great about it that she was selfish and took the time out for herself, but because so often you are made to feel bad about wanting to do that!
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