Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling manual on creativity, Big Magic is a book I love but I am not talking about that here. And I am also not talking about her famous memoir, Eat Pray Love. So, you might be slightly disappointed if you do not happen to know or love Gilbert beyond her books.
This is my very personal admiration post for the author, including some of the most amazing things I have learned from her over the last couple of years—and nothing besides.
I cannot take the liberty of claiming to know Elizabeth Gilbert on a personal level. I truly don’t. I wish I did though and sometimes I don’t know why it feels like I do know her as a friend, philosopher, and guide—in a way, I mean. That’s what to me is her BIG MAGIC.
Unlike, many from her vast pool of fans scattered across the world, I didn’t fall in love with Gilbert when I first read Eat Pray Love or when I watched the amazing Julia Roberts play the author in the 2010 movie by the same name.
My love for Liz has grown over the years. It wasn’t only the memoirs, the articles, her YouTube channel, her TED talks, her interviews with Oprah, or her more recent books, City of Girls and The Signature of All Things, both of which I sincerely love.
It is indeed everything by and about Liz, her life, her works, her talks, and her contributions—but no one thing specifically that solidifies my love, respect, and profound admiration for her.
You would be surprised, I am quite curious about her—yes, despite the wealth of information she shares online from her personal and professional life, I am always looking for more. I want to know everything Gilbert has to say. There is practically nothing related to her on the web that I haven’t already watched, read, or listened to. There are times when I just randomly type her name on YouTube/Google search to check if there is something new. I cannot say I get depressed when I don’t find anything new from her but you should just see my childlike excitement when I do.
Maybe someday I would be bored of her and stop fangirling like I am doing at the moment but that’s surely far from now. Nonetheless, since knowing too much about your heroes comes with a risk of eventual disenchantment, as they say, I feel this is the right time for me to pen my thoughts on what I have learned from the author so far.
These amazing things/people/stories/maxims I have learned about via Gilbert have added great value to my life:
It’s okay to cry on the bathroom floor and start once again:
I live in India and am not rich enough to afford a bathroom whose floor would allow me to kneel without hitting my head against a commode seat or a faucet.
I am also somewhere between atheism and agnosticism; so, “Are you there, God? It’s me, Ambika from India” is not something I am likely to be encouraged to say.
I am married to my childhood best friend and life has been mostly happy and steady. No drama in general! Still, without ever being in that state of desperation, I have learned deeply from Liz’s articulation of her life experiences.
If at all I happen to be in a similar state as Liz’s in the future, I would be more than willing to fall on my knees and surrender. Gilbert’s experiences give me the strength to expect a little messiness in life. She seems to convey:
In the process of cleaning your unique mess, you will cry—you will scream. You will also feel suicidal at times but in the end, you will find the resolve to start again. You will win over your demons and you will show up.
Home is where your heart is: The Babushkas of Chernobyl
This little gem of a documentary film from 2015 would have been completely missed by me if I didn’t read Liz’s essay on her website: “In Praise of the Inner Crone. . . ” The essay got me interested in the lives of the fierce women of Chernobyl, who were the subject of journalist-writer-director, Holly Morris’s research, and her beautiful documentary film: The Babushkas of Chernobyl.
via imdb
The film captures the lives of a small group of old women from Chernobyl who have witnessed the worst war atrocities in their lifetime. These head-scarfed crones do not fear nuclear radiation and continue to live in the place they call home.
Despite the health risks that surround them, these Ukrainian grandmothers have managed to bloom—living in close harmony with their ecosystem, their rivers, and their land.
These babushkas have had a profound impact on me. They have given me a much more solid understanding of the concept of home and belongingness than I previously had—and have helped me understand the beauty of growing old with your longstanding mates, right where you were born and raised.
The Chernobyl crones shatter all ageist expectations people would commonly have of their lives. Seeing their collective joy, collaboration, and vitality has been one of the most beautiful film experiences. Thanks to Liz—and Holly Morris for this experience.
You don’t talk about inclusion, you include: The Onward Book Club
It’s so easy to join the BLM and feminism chatter, using hashtags such as #diversity #inclusivity #girlpower, etcetera. What’s difficult is actually doing something substantial to control the rampant discrimination and address systemic issues.
Gilbert has been exemplary when it comes to walking the talk. She started the #forwardbookclub “as a way of spotlighting, studying, and celebrating the work of Black female authors.”
The live chat between Liz and these authors takes place on the former’s Instagram and so far the club has featured amazing authors like Abi Daré, Samantha Irby, Danielle Henderson, Sarah M. Broom, and many more.
It’s incredible to see Liz promote and discuss the works of women of color, whose books surely deserve much more praise and attention than they often receive. The conversation, even though centered on their books, is also quite informative and enriching for someone like me in a more general sense. Most importantly, it is beautiful to see women empowering each other.
P.S This post was initially supposed to be just one full-length article but looks like I will now have to pen a part 2, which will include the rest of my reasons for being an Elizabeth Gilbert fangirl.
I hope you enjoyed reading it. If not, it’s okay. It was for Liz. 😉
Ambika Singh,PhD 