Eat, Pray, Love: What's Your Word?

By drodriguez Sep 14, 2008

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New York Times Bestseller Eat Pray Love, has elicited its readers to tell whomever they can, be it stranger or friend, that they “must read this book.” Divided into three parts, each verb in the title corresponds to a country, each of which serendipitously, begins with the letter “I”. And since this is a personal journey for its author Elizabeth Gilbert, this is not so much a coincidence as an affirmation that she’s doing exactly what she needs to be doing.

Part One, Italy is the land where Gilbert perfects her conversational Italian and all the while, Eats. She consumes her food with a passion, seeks out the best each city and region has to offer, her exchange with residents is equally passionate, if not about food, then about living and loving and being.

In part one, her Italian friend invokes the theory that, “every city has a single word that defines it, that identifies most people who live there. If you could read people’s thoughts as they were passing? you would discover that most of them are thinking the same thought. Whatever that majority thought might be ? that is the word of the city.”

Apparently Rome’s word is SEX. (And since the Vatican is technically not part of Rome, its own word is POWER.) New York: ACHIEVE. Los Angeles: SUCCEED. The conversation between the two takes the theory down to smaller entities, ultimately to Gilbert’s. What is Elizabeth Gilbert’s word? At that point, after her year-long journey, she doesn’t know, and as she concedes on this page, that is truly the reason for her traverse around the world. (Ultimately she does find her word, and it’s a pretty good one.)

What is your word? Have you found it? What would you need to do to find it?

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Comments

by susielucy | Marshall, IL

May 02, 2007

My word would have to be Caring

by ksyj | Gallatin Gateway, MT

May 02, 2007

THANKFUL A word I live by, a word that grounds me, inspires me, and reminds me that all that has happened has brought me to today and to this self.

by ltaylorcrane | Franklin, TN

Apr 28, 2007

At 47, I have finally found my word and it is EVOLVING! I am continually evolving into the woman that I was designed to be. The process never changes!

by SATINANDSILK | LAKEVIEW, NY

Apr 28, 2007

THINKER

by Toona54720 | Altoona, WI

Apr 28, 2007

My word would be IMAGINATION. Albert had it right when he said it was more important than knowledge. It will take you away and keep you grounded all at the same time.

by mccop5196 | HOLLY, MI

Apr 27, 2007

Yes I can..."GODS"!

by soonermissy | MOUNDS, OK

Apr 26, 2007

My word is faithful. I have faith in God. Faith in my marriage and just overall faith in life.

by jet696 | Westerville, OH

Apr 26, 2007

"FUN" that is the word that always comes up for me - that's what life should be - even the hard times.

by klhoward1961 | Pinson, AL

Apr 21, 2007

Passion. I believe is my word. I have a passion for my three sons. I have a passion for my career. I have a passion for my time working in my yard. I have a passion for those close to me. All are passions in my life.

by jazzy | atlanta, GA

Apr 21, 2007

"Determination"! Determined to have better, live better; determined to have a healthier lifestyle. To me it's all about being prosperous in every area of life, even spiritually. I'm determined because I want more to be able to give more!

by danae95 | Ann Arbor, MI

Apr 19, 2007

I think her Italian friend is a very romantic Italian. A city gathers itself up with a diversity of people and thoughts. My favorite word is "reciprocal" or "reciprocity" I love the way they sound.

by digitalmineral | Lakewood, NJ

Apr 19, 2007

Learn would be my word. I'm always trying to learn, and thus, grow as a better person. I think this is how I am in a lot of areas in life - family, career and spiritually.

by mintyfresh | Hansville, WA

Apr 18, 2007

My word is Epiphany: a realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something or someone. I'm always helping people understand who they are, and I'm constantly learning new things about myself.

by carlenlea | Washington, DC

Apr 18, 2007

I've seen this book in the bookstore and heard about on NPR or NYT, I think.

Looks interesting.

I love Tilly's word. Blooming...interesting

Seems like an interesting exercise that I could stand to do right now to help me focus again.

I think my word would probably be "Connect"

by Travelerswife | El Paso, TX

Apr 18, 2007

My word is "blooming". It seems that everyday the sunshine of people and things makes me grow. Even the stormy weather and "poopie" people serve a purpose to help me grow. I bloom to show my kids that it can be done anywhere. Concrete garden, sand or family farm. Bloom where you are planted.