Thoughts on another good book

I’ve been quiet the past few days because I realized I need to take it easy. It’s been two weeks since the accident and I’ve made good progress. Two days ago I felt so great that I decided I could drive the car, since I really didn’t want to be a nuisance and ask someone to drive me. Well, one quick movement and it seems like I pulled something, so it hurts more than before. Some people never learn!! I turned over my car key and told my husband to hide it until further notice. I cannot be trusted.

After that brief explanation about my recent absence, I want to share some thoughts I had last night while reading yet another wonderful novel from Paulo Coelho: By the River Piedra I sat down and wept. There is a passage in which a story is told about being one’s true self and letting go of the “other” inside us — the one who tells us to play it safe, don’t make waves, be grateful for what we have, and to ignore our dreams. It is an inspirational story within a story.

That got me thinking about who I am, and about that imposter who tries to be me and wastes my life through its attempts to preserve the status quo and maintain peace on the stovefront at all costs. By the way, I would say I’m writing this particularly for fellow sufferers, who sometimes harbor doubts regarding their normalcy. Those who aren’t eating or otherwise disordered, who have no problems, who consider themselves to be normal — they are lucky. Luckily for all the rest of us, there are writers who understand our predicament and spin stories which help us feel understood. Of course, I might be the only former bulimic who thinks she’s weird. I’ve decided to take the risk and assume that there are more of you out there — whether in recovery, recovered, or still in the throes of the symptom — who also don’t fit in with the “norm” as we assume it.

It occurred to me while reading this book that I felt touched and affected the same as millions of other readers. Imagine that! It encourages me to be myself and speak my mind, feel the feelings and trust them. Unless it had a totally different effect on me than on everyone else and we all like it for different reasons, I dare to assume that certain thoughts and feelings are shared by millions of people.

I just wonder where all those people are? Do any of them live in my neighborhood?