5. A passage that moved me

chapter 58 page 177
"Destiny, I feel is also a relationship-a play between divine grace and willful self-effort. Half of it is absolutely in your hands, and your actions will show measurable consequence. Man is neither entirely a puppet of the gods, nor is he entirely the captain of his own destiny; he's a little of both. We gallop through our lives like circus performers balancing on two speeding side-by-side horses- one foot is on the horse called "fate," the other on the horse called "free will." And the question you have to ask every day is-which horse do I need to steer with concentrated effort?"

This quotation sums up several ideas expressed and explored within this book. FAITH, HOPE, SEARCH FOR SELF, UNDERSTANDING, DESTINY, FREE WILL, LOVE, EAT, and PRAY. It goes further to suggest that life is one relationship after another. Each one grows from one another and supports one another. Even when we feel like we have lost all control of our lives, we must realize that it is "absolutely" in our hands. As long as we realize that our choices have a consequence our destiny is up to us. We can choose to make the most of it, or we can let it play out as it is suppose to. We are influenced by everything around us, making us puppets at times, but our hand is what makes the puppet talk. Fate is what we choose it to be, we can give and take what has been there all along, or we can make it our own (redefine it). Each day is a new day, a new opportunity, and chance to be and do whatever you feel your destiny should entail.

Elizabeth had redefined her destiny for years, assuming her destiny instead of allowing it to play out. There was a moment in time when she realized how much she lived as a puppet, and that moment dispersed when she found herself. She did this on her trips through Italy, India, and Indonesia. She also made her transition when she realized what she really wanted in life (David, her husband, faith). She grabbed the reigns.

4. Something that surprised me

Chapter 54 page 168

"I jumped out of my window...I let go and dropped backward maybe twelve of fifteen feet through the dark air to the concrete sidewalk below, hitting something on the way down that peeled a long strip of skin off my right shin, but I didn't care."

Elizabeth was locked in her room, and when she finally awoke at 4:15a.m., and hour and fifteen minutes late to the morning prayer, the Gurugita, she decided to jump out of her window so she would not miss the ceremony. This was a surprise to me, I found it strange that making the morning prayer was worth possibly breaking something. I get that she has chosen to immerse herself in prayer during her stay in India, but this seems a bit idiotic and careless. It is spiritually uplifting that she is willing to do anything for her new found beliefs, but she sat through the prayers with a bleeding leg and did not even notice, or realize that she just jumped out of a window! Yes her spirituality could save her soul, but not protect her from injuring herself as she fell from her bedroom window.

3. What I noticed about the character.

Chapter 48 page 150-151

"Lemme tell you something, Groceries(David's nickname for her)- you got some serious control issues...Listen, you're a powerful woman and you're used to getting what you want out of life, and you didn't get what you wanted ..it's got you all jammed up" (pg150-151).

First hearing this accusation said about her, Elizabeth became angered and denies it. Then after some consideration she confirms it as truth. She also thought that it was surprising that he noticed because she figured she hid it with perfection. Elizabeth in Davids words is a "control freak." This name sums her up, and explains just why things in her life worked out the way they did.

Her marriage:She did not want to be with her husband, love did not bind them together but intrest did. She did in actuallity get what most women want-> a caring and loyal husband, financial stability, and a beautiful home. Although, Elizabeth is not like most women, she is independent and does not find stability in others. Money is unimportant to her, and a home allows for settling down. She was not ready to settle down, in her mind there was too much to see and explore. She wanted to be in control.

Her relationship with David: We all seem to want what we cannot have. She loved David and he loved her, that was absolute. Despite love they did not connect in other ways, they even made each other miserable. She wanted to make it work with him, she tried to control the situation like usual, to make it work. You cannot control a relationship, love is true, and everything else that comes with it should be too. She wanted to control it.

Her inability to meditate/clear her mind: Our minds are terribly strong. Being able to control our minds takes practice and skill even. In truth controlling our minds is extremely hard. She tried very hard to do so, and the harder she tried the stronger her mind became. She wanted to control it.

"nothing pisses off a control freak more than life not goin' her way" (pg151).

2.A chapter that puzzled me

Chapter 33 page 103

In this chapter Elizabeth tries to understand Rome after seeing a high class glamorous woman strutting her stuff down the streets of Italy. She speaks with her friend Giulio and says "Rome cannot be her city and my city, too." Giulio replies with "Maybe you and Rome just have different words" (pg 103). He goes on to say that there is one word for every city, every person, every situation. The thought of describing a complex thing in a single word puzzled me. How could a city in its entirety be summed up in one word? Rome they explained to be SEX, New York to be ACHIEVE, Los Angeles to be SUCCEED, and Elizabeth's word to be SEEK. When I reflected upon this chapter I tried to label myself in one word. I found it to be an impossible task.

1. What I liked in the chapter

Chapter 5 page 21

"Addiction is the hallmark of every infatuation-based love story. It all begins with the object of your adoration bestows upon you a heady, hallucinogenic dose of something you never even dared to admit that you wanted...Soon you start craving that intense attention, with the hungry obsession of any junkie. When the drug is withheld, you promptly turn sick, crazy and depleted. Next stage finds you skinny and shaking in a corner certain only that you would steel your soul to rob your neighbors just to have that thing even one more time" (pg21).

I found this chapter to be very interesting, funny is more like it because describing and comparing love as a drug addiction(something negative)to love(something positive) seemed so strange but when it comes down to it, it makes perfect sense. Love is like a drug. You sneak around, putting yourself on the line to get it, giving up your time and money. Once you have a taste of the drug you become overwhelmed with new and uncertain feelings. You have to try it again because those new feelings are so strong and exciting, and once you experience something better then what you had/felt before you don't want to go back. Love is not free.