"I am larger and much better than I thought. I did not think I held so much goodness." - Walt Whitman (This quote has very little to do with this post - I just LOVE it and wanted to share!!)
A funny thing has been happening to me lately. I have been starting books and then putting them down in the middle. I had to force myself to finish a couple. The most recent was 'Secret Life of Bees.' Somewhere around the middle I knew that things were going to get stressful and I stopped reading it. (I forced a finish - FABULOUS book!!!) It even happened with 'Eat Pray Love.' I read it right up to nearly the end and then I just stopped reading it for some reason. Any psychoanalysts out there? What's going on in my brain?
But this week I read a book and I devoured every page. I bought it because I am completely fed up with worrying about my weight and yet I am still eating too much. What I found was not a book just about food issues. It was a book about body issues, friendship issues, boundary issues. She talks about living life so that you are more aware of yourself and the world around you. I cannot recommend it highly enough!
One of the chapters that I loved the most was called, "Remind Yourself that it is Already Broken." It is a concept that I have already been trying to work with for the past little while. Roughly translated it means that if you look at everything in your life as temporary you will begin to live differently. Everything and everyone in your life won't be there forever. Things get lost or broken or stolen or they fade and fall apart. People move away, get lost, get broken, and sometimes they die. We take everything and everyone so much for granted. Seeing everything in your life as already broken:
"...helps you fully appreciate what you've got while you have it. Instead of protecting it, being worried about losing it, or spending your time and energy devising ways to keep it safe forever, you place your attention and love right square in this moment, and you luxuriate in every last bit of it." - Geneen Roth
This is what I am going to try to work with today and what I wish for you - moments of pure appreciation. xo
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10 comments:
If you figure out the psychology behind half read books, let me know. I've stopped halfway through the last 3 books I've read. Now I've got too many books to finish and I don't know which one to pick up first!
I want to finish what I've started because I can't wait to read Eat Pray Love.
btw, this week I'm going to apply for a job at a bookstore. Wish me luck! Maybe it will help with my reading problem. heh! :)- Paid therapy?
i have been roaming around through different links to blogs and feel completely validated in believe that i was meant to stumble upon this post of yours tonight. i just finished venting a bit about my own struggle with over eating right now. i think i may try to find that book. if anything though, your post has simply made me feel less alone, and for that i can't thank you enough. i am absolutely resisting facing the brokenness in my life and my heart. refusing to admit it and eating to keep it far at bay. thank you for writing this post, because it is convicting me and somehow giving me an odd sense of hope. thank you.
sounds like a good book, something I've been figuring out this year on my own.
oh meg this is so good. this books sounds very, very interesting.
i hope you had a good day my dear...and well now that you are having a good morning!
thinking about you...
love,
liz
You are not alone - I put down the two books you mentioned before finishing them - one I finished the other I didn't -
The book you are reading sounds delightful - if nothing else I get a smile from the title
Great post!
I love the quote, what a smart idea. I try so hard to hold on and get so anxious worrying about losing something or someone I love...this looks worth investigating.
Maybe you're putting down the books because there's no connection there? I know I give myself 100 pages to get into a book, if I don't connect, I put it down.
Megg, I know what you mean about worrying about your weight too much. I am always feeling bad about how I look, it is exhausting!
You are beautiful love and I know cuz I've seen you!! :)
I will have to go get this book, thanks for sharing.
XXOXOX
I loved this post!!!!
This post.....I loved it!
Did I mention that I loved this post?
I have been thinking these very thoughts for a week and you just summed it up in one post!!!
I love this post...Thank You :)
This sounds wonderful...and just about the only book I could probably make myself read in its entirety right now. I've been doing the same things with books this summer.
Btw, did I miss it or did you say...what is the name of this marvelous book? I think I will buy it as my birthday present for myself:)
Love you!
Thanks for this post. I've been struggling with some of these same issues and I appreciate your fresh insights.
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