CHAPTER 21 OF... [SHOOT!] 108 CHAPTERS

Over a month ago, I surprised someone with my answer when they asked me what I was thinking. My response to them, "Nothing". And yes, that was my honest answer. You may be thinking that I just didn't want to tell this person exactly what I was thinking... but no, that was not the case. "Nothing" is what I simply enjoy thinking about... for real. Hopefully it didn't scare this person since this person is quite the thinker but I don't really think about things that don't need to be thought about (whoa now)... because in the end, I'm not really in control of my outcome. "Don't worry, be happy"... yes, I tend to act on that saying quite a lot. I don't fake it if the feeling is not there, but with the "little" or "lot" that I am given I'm going to put those thoughts and time into something that energizes myself and hopefully others around me.

--This person also asked what I enjoy doing/what I wanted out of life. My response was very similar as I described that it's the little things that bring the most pleasure. Being outdoors, reading, drawing, good food, being with people... it really doesn't get too difficult or complex. I believe people make living and finding happiness a lot harder than it actually is intended to be.

About a month ago, I began reading, "Eat Pray Love". I read four chapters and sat it down, deciding to embark upon the 30 Day Journal Challenge instead. Sometimes books take a while to get into (just think of any Dan Brown novel!). So, initially I wasn't that fond of "Eat Pray Love" because it hadn't cast the "you have to read me" spell over me. However, last weekend I spent Friday out in super suburbia with my brother and his family, who were in town. We all visited while the kids played in the pool and then I got to catch up on a little TV action. While relaxing that evening, the preview for the movie, "Eat Pray Love" came on. Casually paying attention to the trailer, I had my own thoughts about what was unfolding on the screen and knew I had to go back to the nightstand and get to reading!

--You see, anytime I have read a book before the movie version comes out, I've noticed that Hollywood jacks it up. What I mean is that they only take the big things and tend to leave out the smaller things... the unique details that make the story so fascinating and creative. I detest this. So it was then that I told myself to finish the book before anyone could start talking about Julia Roberts traveling to the "three "I's": Italy, India and Indonesia. It had to be done.

Exactly four hours ago, I ate a dirty tasting office sandwich that I believed looked good but wasn't good at all. Looks can be deceiving folks but thankfully Chapter 21 in, "Eat Pray Love" was not. More appetizing than my lunch, Chapter 21 proved to be so tasty and delicious that I feel the need to share with you bits, pieces and paragraphs of what Elizabeth Gilbert wrote. P.S. I completely concur with every word.

--This chapter stirred my soul, making me smile and removing any bad taste of why I had previously been disinterested in reading this book. This chapter is the chapter that has reenergized me to further finish reading this novel before Hollywood steals the paperback's thunder. How long do I have again??

"Generally speaking, though, Americans have an inability to relax into sheer pleasure. Ours is an entertainment-seeking nation, but not necessarily a pleasure-seeking one. Americans spend billions to keep themselves amused with everything from porn to theme parks to wars, but that's not exactly the same thing as quiet enjoyment. Americans work harder and longer and more stressful hours than anyone in the world today. But as Luca Spaghetti pointed out, we seem to like it. Alarming statistics back this observation up, showing that many Americans feel more happy and fulfilled in their offices than they do in their own homes. Of course, we all inevitably work too hard, then we get burned out and have to spend the whole weekend in our pajamas, eating cereal straight out of the box and staring at the TV in a mild coma (which is the opposite of working, yes, but not exactly the same thing as pleasure). Americans don't really know how to do nothing. This is the cause of that great sad American stereotype- the overstressed executive who goes on vacation, but who cannot relax.

.....

"Il bel far niente means "the beauty of doing nothing." Now listen - Italians have traditionally always been hard workers, especially those long-suffering laborers knows as braccianti (so called because they had nothing but the brute strength of their arms -braccie- to help them survive in this world). But even against that backdrop of hard work, il bel far niente has always been a cherished Italian ideal. The beauty of doing nothing is the goal of all your work, the final accomplishment for which you are most highly congratulated. The more exquisitely and delightfully you can do nothing, the higher your life's achievement. You don't necessarily need to be rich in order to experience this, either. There's another wonderful Italian expression: l'arte d'arrangiarsi - the art of making something out of nothing. The art of turning a few simple ingredients into a feast, or a few gathered friends into a festival. Anyone with a talent for happiness can do this, not only the rich."

I adore the last line of that paragraph, "...the art of making something out of nothing. The art of turning a few simple ingredients into a feast, or a few gathered friends into a festival. Anyone with a talent for happiness can do this, not only the rich."

SIGNED: IF ONLY MORE PEOPLE WERE TO THINK THIS.