Finding Balance in Indonesia [Post A]

Definitions courtesy of www.dictionary.com

CAPRICIOUS [Gilbert 166]: subject to, led by, or indicative of caprice or whim; erratic

STAGNATE [Gilbert 177]: to cease to run or flow, as water, air, etc.

EMOTIONAL APPEALS:

" 'What's got you all wadded up?' he drawls, toothpick in mouth, as usual.
'Don't ask,' I say, bt then I start talking and tell him every bit of it, concluding with, 'And worst of all, I can't stop obsessing over David, I thought I was over him, but it's all coming up again.'
He says, "Give it another six months, you'll feel better."
"I've already given it twelve months, Richard."
"Then give it six more. Just keep throwin' six months at it till it goes away. Stuff like this takes time." [Gilbert 148] I really have come to love Richard. He is the best friend who will tell you the naked truth because it isn't like your love life is in jeopardy with him. This is just one of the many words of wisdom from Richard that stuck with me. When you are having a hard time, Richard's way to help fix it is to just keep giving it six months. You don't have to immediately go long term, but just six months at a time. Step by step.


"But I wish me and David could--"
He cuts me off. "see, now that's your problem. You're wishin' too much, baby. You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be." [Gilbert, 150]. Again. This is Richard and his wonderful words of wisdom made simple so they are easy to remember. I do a lot of wishing sometimes about changing my past and decisions I've made, so Richard would probably be telling me to "alright, so wishbone now turns to backbone, and let's try and change the future so it turns out to be a past you are proud of.


"She says that peple universally tend to think that happinesss is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort." [Gilbert 260]
This a huge emotional appeal about how happiness is thought of. Happiness is something that is often what is sought out for an entire lifetime. Some find happiness in love, others find it in material objects. It doesn't take a guru to tell someone that happiness is the individual's personality, and nobody else's responsibility.

THEME:

Now I am STILL thinking that the theme of this memoir is how to rediscover yourself (for your personal happiness and nobody else's)and just make sure that your emotional and spiritual ducks are in a row to make sure that you are a spiritual and physical and emotional whole.

[Completely nailed ;) ]