So I'm watching Eat, Pray, Love on cable. I stopped it just as she arrived in India to come up here and write. I LOVE the book. I know it by heart. I know every scene, which makes it hard to watch the movie.
The movie is not the book. I concede that it must have been extremely difficult to put into images something so abstract and introspective as finding oneself and even more so, finding God. However, it also makes me sad that in order to reach the audience they wanted, the film makers had to inject a few explanations to the objections I guess they felt every American would have to Liz Gilbert's "crazy" journey. The scene I'm specifically thinking about is in the pizzeria in Naples where she justifies her calorie binge to her Swedish friend who refuses to eat anymore because she is developing a "muffin-top." She says she is "through with the guilt." In the book, there is no justification needed. Her soul and her body were starved... the beautiful food in Italy was feeding her body and nourishing her soul. It disappointed me to watch that scene knowing that the filmmakers believed that without it, no American woman would believe this journey... instead of seeing themselves in Liz, they would see the story as a fairy tale. As a smaller indie movie with less of a star (not trying for the big blockbuster audience whom Julia Roberts attracts), this scene wouldn't be necessary. That just makes me sad for mainstream America.
It is a fairytale in a way... not just anyone can pick up in the middle of their life and leave for a year long search for themselves. But why not? As soon as I wrote that, a million reasons began listing themselves in my brain. So maybe it should be mandatory. Wouldn't that be something if when you turned, oh, 34, you got a ticket in the mail. For your year long sabbatical. And a maid, nanny, temp, whatever you needed at your door to help pick up where you left off. What would we discover about ourselves? Would there be utter chaos or peace? I can't even say for certain what my life would look like.
The book (and I hope the movie, when all is said and done) is about finding God. I guess that's why there are so many books, CDs, DVDs, lectures, retreats etc. on finding God in everyday life. There are very few of us that are able to take time out for that journey in the middle of our lives. Sure, you can look during that year between high school and college... but where does God go when you grow into a mother (or father?) How do you stay in touch through all the changes He brings your way?
Again, Liz's book can answer that: it takes work. She was able to take this trip because she worked for it: it was her book advance that allowed her to go. She felt motivated for this trip because she wanted to change herself--that is some serious work. After watching a couple recorded lectures of hers and interviews with her, I feel confident saying that coming back and promoting the book, accepting all the accolades and trying to write her follow-up bestseller were definitely work for her.
So I guess work can look like leisure and leisure can look like work (if you're a Type A personality.) I have to believe this because I've been unemployed for about 7 months now. The work I'm doing is INTERNAL, people! Geez. (and I'm laughing at myself.)
I'm going to head back downstairs to finish the movie--I have things to do today after all. (I DO!) And I'm going to watch it with the same non-judgmental attitude I desire from everyone whose opinion I care about. I'm going to accept it for what it is and not compare it (or try my best not to) with my beloved book. It might take some work, but it will be worth it.
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