Eat? Check. Pray? Working on it. Love? Oh, heck yes.

This time last week? I was on the high seas, avoiding the sun (too hot!) and getting my sea legs. Time went by so fast, but then doesn't it always?

I took two books with me - the latest Sookie Stackhouse book (True Blood is based on this series) and Eat. Pray. Love. I wanted to read Eat. Pray. Love. before the movie comes out because I wanted to hear it in the author's voice before Julia Roberts takes over. Although - after reading the book I can absolutely understand why she was cast. I read all about Sookie's latest adventures while waiting in the airport(s), so I didn't start EPL until I was trying to go to sleep in the hotel the night before the cruise. I was full of turkey burger and fruit and too excited about the next day to go to sleep right away. Plus, it was warmer than I was used to in the hotel room, which for the money? Was a really, really nice room.

Anyway, the EPL book is much shorter than the other one, yet it took me almost all week to read the whole thing. It's not a book for everyone. Books on personal faith and happiness often aren't. But gosh, I identified with certain aspects of Liz's search for peace and happiness. Mostly the need to figure out a way to quiet my own mind and deal with things that are bothering me.

Surprisingly, what I noticed on this trip? Is that I didn't actually think about anything. I didn't worry, I didn't stress, I didn't over analyze. Well, okay. I didn't over analyze like I normally do. I missed R and the kids, but I didn't feel...how do I explain this? I didn't feel like I wasn't whole because I wasn't being someones mommy or someones wife - no matter how wonderful those someones are.

Also? I waste a LOT of time all keyed up and upset over things that, in the long run, aren't going to matter. I needed to realize this. I loved being around other women who also weren't afraid to be themselves, to say when they did and didn't want to do something, but who were also supportive and positive when one of us really wanted to do something. Hard to explain? Yes. Wonderful to experience? Absolutely.

Since my mind was quieter than normal, I tried my amateurish hand and meditating which basically consisted of practicing clearing my mind. Every single time, I fell asleep. Which, I guess, is a form of clearing your mind, right? But when I woke up after these little sessions, I felt so much more positive. I know, it sounds kind of hokey, and I'm trying not to gush or over-explain. It's certainly worth looking into the meditating thing further, and maybe yoga would be an excellent addition to my workout routine. A balancing sort of thing. Balance is good.

Also good? Having ice cream available 24/7 and one of the choices being fat free vanilla frozen yogurt. And even better than that? Being able to dance for hours without getting exhausted or being sore the next day. Thank you Zumba, Misti, Kim, Maggie, and Kristine! And a huge thank you to God for staying with me through all the ups and downs of my life. Love, man. It's powerful.