Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It by Elizabeth Gilbert Read Free Book Online

meditation and was ready see where this could take me. Jack was everything that I had hoped, and I had an opportunity to share with him my gratitude for his teachings.
    There
was
one aspect of the retreat that proved to be cause for anxiety—and that I hadn’t even known to be anxious about. This is why you always need to read the brochure for these things! The retreat was silent. Somehow, I had completely missed this when registering. By the time I reached the third day, I felt like I was losing my mind. I would go back to my cabin and cry. I wanted to go home, away from the isolation and all the demons it raised for me. It was as if a highlight reel of all the mistakes and misconceptions I had ever made was on constant loop in my mind. But I was stuck on this campus, there was no Internet connectivity or cell phone service to be had and my fears had me cornered. I had no choice but to face them head-on.
    My ability to persevere despite these fears became transformative. I remember leaving the retreat feeling gratitude and love for everything and everyone around me, and for the first time I was able to expand that circle to include myself as well.
    Eat Pray Love
gave me the courage to embark. Without Liz’s account of her own flawed journey, I never would have thought I could attend a meditation retreat, something that seemed reserved for only perfectly enlightened beings, one of which I wascertainly not. From Liz, I learned that it was never too late to start again. I forgave my indiscretions and granted myself the permission to create the life I now understood I deserved. With my newfound clarity, serenity, gratitude and joy, I was able to find my way back to my heart. My relationship with my husband flourished, and I had a terrific appreciation for every moment I spent with my children and family. I felt renewed and ready for big changes.
    One day, after coming home from a particularly tumultuous day at work, I knew it was time. I could not wait another moment. I had no idea what it was, but the pull had become too strong to ignore. I began searching the Internet for potential business acquisition opportunities in Michigan. I was looking for a business I could call my own. Almost immediately I saw a family-owned resort in northern Michigan for sale. Now mind you, my profession was in integrative medicine practice management and my education was in interior design. Running a resort was not something I had ever considered, but I knew I had to see the property.
    My husband and I arrived in the charming coastal town of Arcadia and met the couple who owned the resort. They were hospitable and very down-to-earth. As I walked the grounds, I felt a peace come over me. I felt as though I was home. Later, when I shared the experience with a friend of mine, she said, “It is as though your soul was already there and your body just had to catch up with it.” The next morning, walking on the beach with my husband, I said, “If this could work, I cannot imagine how I could say no to it.”
    Today I turn forty-five. I am sitting at the kitchen table, which is mission control for my beloved resort. My life hasmorphed into the life I know I was meant to lead. It is not idyllic, but it is perfectly imperfect every day. I once saw a quote: “Your job is the excuse through which you get to love people.” This completely encapsulates how I feel about what I do. I am thrilled to be able to serve my guests and share my little corner of paradise, all the little things about Arcadia that bring me joy. I live from my heart and have gratitude for all that life brings. To Liz, my guide in creating a life of authenticity, I am forever grateful.

There You Are
    â€”
    Jan Haag
    â€œRemember what our Guru says—be a scientist of your own spiritual experience. You’re not here as a tourist or a journalist; you’re here as a seeker. So explore it.”
    â€” RICHARD FROM TEXAS
, Eat Pray Love
    M y