This summer, I think it was when I was eating alone at Italian Delight and indulging on amazing cheese pizza (Italian food. See the parallel?) that I had started to feel this Eat Pray Love journey of mine. I am single like she had been on the journey. I got out of a deep relationship kind of like Elizabeth Gilbert getting a divorce. I was burned by a few boys soon after the break up kind of like Elizabeth getting burned by a boyfriend she had had after the divorce and right before her journey.
The fact that I acquired a job at an Italian restaurant was probably my second hint. That was my Italy. I was surrounded by Italian food almost everyday so I had it often just like Elizabeth Gilbert.
It wasn't hard for me to see that my church was my ashram in India. I had made it a goal at the beginning of summer to dig deeper into the spiritual part of me. I started to attend a bible study every Thursday morning at 9am. It is a group comprised of about 6 adults and then our two pastors attend as well. It is very small and intimate. I fell in love with that group and the time I got to spend with them. They were my Richard from Texas. I attended church every week except for one due to being out of town. I also attended a women's retreat there yesterday which was an amazing experience. I got to be away from my phone and life for most of the day as I got to get to know women at my church even more as well as about life and the story of Ruth. I will probably have future posts that will relate back to that day. I started doing yoga more and I hope to make it more of a habit. I want to meditate and become better at it just like Elizabeth Gilbert. I think the incident with the 3 pennies and a night under the stars would be my big moment with God. You know, like the big moment Elizabeth Gilbert had with Him.
So I had come up with an Italy and an India. I had been eating and praying, but what about love? Elizabeth had met a man in Bali. Now everyone has a different journey. Ours is not exactly the same and I think this is where mine is most different. I do not really have one boy that would be my boy in Bali like Elizabeth Gilbert had. Not just yet. I am still mingling and getting to know people. So maybe eventually I will get that Bali boy, but in the mean time, I have began to fall in love with myself. And I have been loving and feeling the love of my family and friends which has been amazing. That is my love in this journey. In the first chunk of summer I was in the gym almost every day working out pretty hard. I could feel that difference in my body and stamina when I exercised. I had reached a confidence with myself on the outside. A feeling I hadn't really felt before in this time of my life. Since being single and experiencing things on my own, I have come to know me as myself more. I have been really enjoying it. I used to hate my own company and couldn't stand being left alone with myself, but now I don't mind it. It's fine by me. I have had the opportunity to see and hang out with so many people that I hadn't seen in years or haven't hung out with. I have gotten to see my best friend at least 1-3 times a week every week. I have had a lot of quality time with my family and grown closer to them. So many bonds have been strengthened and I couldn't be more thankful for it. I have definitely been filled with love.
This summer has been extraordinary and I will remember it always. I feel full and content just like Elizabeth Gilbert.
Sparkle & Shine,
Rachel
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