Peace of Mind

I watched Eat Pray Love today for probably the tenth time. I am in love with this movie - a lot like how obsessed I am with Harry Potter, but more of that on a later date. Anyhoodles, the reason for choosing V Day - for those of you who don't know, this is a holiday that no one knows about except those known as Rhode Islanders - to watch this movie was due to a conversation I had last night with my friend, Amberlee Perry. We discussed politics, life, spiritual growth and practice, and the meaning of understanding fundamental truth.

Although I've known Amberlee for a brief period of time, I feel that our friendship blossomed last night into something much more than just a platonic and mediocre relationship. I would say, without a doubt, that this relationship is something we both can cultivate from. I look forward to continual heart-to-heart conversations with her in the future. Thank you, Amberlee, for being in my life, because you continue to teach me just as much as I teach you.

Today has been a mundane type of day for me. I'm being productive, though... or at least trying to be. I'm about to continue reading an autobiography by a profound man by the name of Howard Jacobson. He has, and will always be, an inspiration. This man is the epitome of what it means to be successful in the correct and healthy way. "Success is found within." - I read that once somewhere, and I loved it. Another saying, that I came up with, that really describes this man, is the simple philosophy that "It's not what happens to you, but what you do with what happens that makes the difference." In other words, "Being proactive, instead of reactive." - I can't take credit for that one. Howard expressed this phrase, and I loved it, too.

Since we are on the topic of profound people, I must give a shout out to one of my best friends, Robert Anthony, because he deserves some recognition. I would not be here today if it weren't for him, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. He has stuck by me through rock bottom, and for that I'm eternally grateful for his generosity, compassion, and patience with me. Thank you, Robert! I look forward to our New York shenanigans in October.

In light of mentioning Eat Pray Love, I felt that I should quote a monologue from the movie that is tremendously moving, so here it is!:

"A friend took me to the most amazing place the other day. It's called the Augusteum Octavian. Augustus built it to house his remains. When the barbarians came they trashed it a long with everything else. The great Augustus, Rome's first true great emperor. How could he have imagined that Rome, the whole world as far as he was concerned, would be in ruins. It's one of the quietest, loneliest places in Rome. The city has grown up around it over the centuries. It feels like a precious wound, a heartbreak you won't let go of because it hurts too good. We all want things to stay the same. Settle for living in misery because we're afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins. Then I looked around at this place, at the chaos it has endured - the way it has been adapted, burned, pillaged and found a way to build itself back up again. And I was reassured, maybe my life hasn't been so chaotic, it's just the world that is, and the real trap is getting attached to any of it. Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation." - Liz Gilbert, Eat Pray Love