Image Credit: SUBMITTED

OPINION

Last week I bought a second-hand copy of Eat Pray Love. Nothing extra special about buying a book, but it is the series of events (buying the book included in that series) that has me puzzled.

Eat Pray Love was written by Elizabeth Gilbert and I believe it was released in 2006. A movie followed starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem.

The plot is fairly simple….and a true story.

Gilbert went on a year-long trip of self discovery, leaving behind a husband (well he was an ex after she left) and any plans of having children. She visited Italy, Indian and Indonesia (I love lists that have matching first letters words) and fell in love at the end of it all.

But aside from the change in relationship status, she learned a lot about herself and what she truly wanted in life.

I’ve read it before.

So I picked up the book and tossed it into the front seat of my car, forgetting about it for a day while I shuttled my children to and from different activities.

When I finally had two minutes to pick it up, I realized it was still in my vehicle so I opted for the TV remote instead.

Eat Pray Love was playing on TV.

Not entirely strange considering it is January and with the enchantment of a new year, it would make sense to run a film about self-discovery and travel.

I think I missed my calling in marketing.

I decided to tape it and come back to it at a later date.

Fast forward to the next day.

I was driving to a play date (my children’s, not mine) and I heard a familiar song on the radio. It was Heart of Gold by Neil Young.

I love music. I find I get very lost in a song and I like to remember which movie I’ve heard a song in and what emotion I’m supposed to be feeling.

This song bothered me because I couldn’t place it. It seemed familiar and I imagined several different scenes — soldiers coming home from war, a man coming home to a loved one who’d forgotten about him and a child fishing with his dad.

The following night I sat down to watch Eat Pray Love. I watched it (or listened to it) while I cooked dinner and created snakes and butterflies out of glitter Play-Doh.

Then I heard it — I heard the song.

When I did a little digging via Google, I found the song is only featured in two movies, Iceman in 1984 and Eat Pray Love in 2010.

I started freaking out. What was…what is the universe trying to tell me?

It’s like when you are thinking about someone, or you had a dream about someone you haven’t seen in a really long time. Maybe you forgot about them until just moment. You are out the next day getting groceries or walking your dog, or cat, or whatever and you run into them — and you wonder why?

So what does this series of events mean for my life?

If taken literally, I suppose it means I am supposed to ditch my husband and kids, opt for a spiritual journey across continents, learn something spectacular from a Texan named Richard, and at the end of it all fall in love with a Brazilian?

Interesting, but not exactly practical.

Suppose I don’t take it SO literally and thank whoever is responsible for the fact that I have something to overanalyze and get more excited about what is to come.

My ‘spiritual journey’ can be just a meaningful, right here with my husband and children and with my two feet far away from any airplane.

But I am still going to wonder…

— Becky Mann is a 30-something, red haired, mother of two, trying to navigate this life as best she can. She enjoys talking to people and discovering their stories. Still trying to balance her personal and professional life, she juggles work and play. In her spare time Becky can be found visiting with friends, spending time with her family and saving time by reading while walking. She knows there is so much more to come and is looking forward to the continued adventure.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2018