Friday, March 19, 2010

what's your word?

about a year ago i read a book you've probably heard of, if not read yourself: Eat, Pray, Love.


i didn't expect to like it as much as i did, but found it refreshingly raw and beautiful. (just noticed there's a movie trailer too, so i'm super excited to see that! i think it will do the book justice. i mean, i hope it does.)

anyway, there are so many things i love about elizabeth gilbert's book, but one thing that has always kept a hold in my brain is when she was talking about the 'word.'
here's a discussion question i found that explains it (because i'm terrible at describing ideas):

"Sitting in an outdoor cafĂ© in Rome, Gilbert’s friend declares that every city—and every person—has a word. Rome’s is “sex,” the Vatican’s “power”; Gilbert declares New York’s to be “achieve,” but only later stumbles upon her own word, antevasin, Sanskrit for “one who lives at the border.” What is your word?"

if you've read the book you know that gilbert describes the balinese as identifying themselves by family order, age & class. who you are, where you've come from and where you're going.
i identify with this idea more than i'd like to admit. i'm a perfectionist, anal, type A to the max. i feel calm and safe when i know where i'm at in life, where my relationships stand & what my ultimate goals are. that's probably why this 'word' has been so intriguing to me. i thought about it again today and decided to reevaluate, as i my word has changed since last i pinpointed it.

but i just can't think of it right now......i'm still searching for the right one.
my heart moves forward while my feet stay in place.
nearly 6years married but less domestic every day
growing older and younger at the same time
unsettled
but in a good way
there must be a word for that

so what's yours?

3 comments:

  1. Misty Bradley3/19/10, 1:08 AM

    at this moment in time (meaning the word I chose for the year... I do that) my word is "becoming"

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  2. how funny, i just started reading that book yesterday! i haven't gotten to the "word" part yet. even though at one point earlier in my life i went through a similar exercise of self identity and have a tattoo of the word to prove it, it has evolved over time and is probably something completely different now. i'll let you know what i come up with!

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  3. good word, misty!

    leigh, i'm excited to see what you come up with! i still don't have mine yet...

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