Thursday 28 January 2010

Committed

I’m busy reading Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert. I adored her Eat, Pray, Love and couldn't wait to get my hands on the next book by this amazing writer. She tackles ‘marriage’ as a divorcee being forced to marry the love of her life.

At page one I could completely identify with Elizabeth’s fear of the M word. I find myself torn – on one hand I’m a hopeless romantic, reckless with my heart and prone to dramatic infatuations, and the embroidered idealisation of past events, people, conversations. I browse through wedding blogs, pawing over images of happy couples, although I am possibly more interested in creating the perfect, visually arresting, original and uncliché-ed wedding. On the opposite end of the spectrum though, I’m a bruised cynic, having experienced my own share of disenchantment, and having watched my friends and family members go through heartbreak and dashed expectations. I’m fundamentally unsure of the sustainability of marriage.

I’m half way through the book, and I’m captivated. Elizabeth really shares herself on the pages, much like a best friend, and I find myself nodding and laughing out loud (much to the amusement of those next to me at the gym). She’s one funny lady!

I can’t wait to finish the book, although it’s a book that needs to be read more than once – it’s brimming with insightful relationship advice, whether you’re married or divorced, single or partnered-up.

You can listen to a great talk by Elizabeth on creativity and genius on TED.com


No comments: