Eat, Pray, Love

Okay. I'm gonna sound off here, so be forewarned.

First let me say I have nothing against anyone making money. Second, I'm not one to write reviews/critiques of books (or movies.) I know how much time it takes, I know that it's hard work. I know just as everyone has a bellybutton, everyone has at least one opinion. Besides, someone liked it enough to publish it, so just because I don't care for it doesn't mean it's a bad book, just that it's not for me. That said...I have this nagging feeling that something just isn't right with this eat, pray, love craze.

I happened to actually see the Oprah Winfrey show when she interviewed the author Elizabeth Gilbert. My first thought was: It must be nice to be able to go to Italy to eat, then go to India to pray. It must be nice to have the money and time to be able to do that. I for one have to eat at home, pray at my local church or in my back yard. In other words, I have to stay put to find peace of mind. I don't have the luxury of going somewhere else to "find" myself and learn how to de-clutter my life.

So I thought good for her but her life doesn't apply to me and so I didn't read the book.

Now there's a movie and I thought:

Isn't that nice. Julia Roberts playing the author. I might actually watch it once it comes out on DVD. (For sure I wouldn't spend the money to go to the theater to watch it.)

BUT THEN I starting hearing and reading about all the merchandising that's connected to the movie. It's truly frightful. Here's a story about someone trying to de-clutter her life, and here's STUFF (check it out) we poor schmucks can buy to "help" us find happiness and peace of mind. Something's not right.

Unless I hear that the money earned from all this STUFF (you too can buy candles, moisturizing creams, jewelry, book marks and tote bags, furniture, food, clothing, prayer beads and scarves to name a few) is going to be used to help say, the Haitians, or the Pakistanis, or destitute women in Africa, or abused and neglected children here in the U. S. of A., I'm boycotting. How about you?