Last week I listened to Liz Gilbert's 'Eat Pray Love' on my iphone. This would be the second time I've 'read' the book. I like it. Much better than the film, which I didn't much care for.
Liz Gilbert is either just incredibly lucky in life or you really should take 'Eat Pray Love' with an enormous pinch of salt!
However, if you take the vox pop spiritualism out of it and just enjoy the escapism - its a lovely book. It also has moments and homilies that are worth listening to or just taking a little time to think over.
I am always awed by the bit early in the book, when snivelling and moany - she talks to God as she is slumped on the bathroom floor; and asks for help. And from somewhere - she is told to go back to bed. Which she promptly does and her world unfurls for her in perfect synchronicity there after. Nice.
One of the things I have had difficulty with of late has been my personal relationship with 'God'. With my spiritual sensibility. It doesn't matter what my particular religious persuasion is - I won't fetter you, the reader with what I believe - suffice to say I just feel disconnected and bereft. God isn't with me.
Yesterday evening, I took myself off to my local church. It is a beautiful old Victorian type Anglican church tucked away in a hidden corner of the village - the gravestones sit moss covered and scattered around the church yard amongst trees and tussocks of grass. In the western side of the church yard is the ubiquitous church yard Yew tree - twisted and gnarled - whose bough's splay helpfully into a low lying 'seat'
I sat down, cradled in the tree's bough - and listened to the silence. Not quite perfect silence, wood pigeons cooed deeply and a warm and gentle wind whistled through the leaves of neighbouring trees, but it was silent enough - and as I sat there, out loud I asked God to find me.
In a moment sublime - worthy of anything written by Liz Gilbert - the sun suddenly burst through the gathering clouds across the Yew tree and straight over where I sat - and I was at once bathed in a marvellous warm glow and I felt suddenly and completely at peace - there was absolutely no doubting, at that very moment God surely found me - and I happily accept the grace.
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