Elizabeth Gilbert: National Cathedral Lecture

It's important not to take authors too seriously.

a few weeks ago, Lyndsey and I went to hear Elizabeth Gilbert speak at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. For those of you who have been looking quizzedly at me and asking me why I was traveling DC, this was why -- this lecture. We had seats in one of the side niches, perfect and only perhaps 8 rows back from the "pulpit." It was an added bonus listening to such an arresting personality with the backdrop of such beauty and grace as that glorious cathedral.

I don't mean to criticize the woman who introduced her and (I apologize for not remembering her name) but as she spoke about Ms. Gilbert, she spoke with a reverence that made me a little uncomfortable. Yes, I love this woman's writing. Yes, I think she has done and accomplished some very wonderful things and has gained and shared wonderful insights as result. But I do not in any way worship her or believe she has the answers to my life. The speaker spoke of her the same way you would speak about political activists and spiritual leaders and righters of wrong in the world. Not that I don't think Ms. Gilbert has helped people; it's just that there is a line where you put too much on one person, perhaps giving her more credit or responsibility than they should have.

What was funny about that evening was Ms. Gilbert spoke to that sense of uncomfortableness. She began with lecture with a story -- she was sitting at the gate at an airport hours early for a flight but was so zoned out in her own thoughts that she actually missed the flight. And she said that people seem to think that because she was meditating every day and doing all these things on her trip that she wrote in Eat, Pray, Love, that she had somehow gotten her life together.

She spoke honestly and humbly, self-deprecating without actually putting herself down. That yes, she did these things and she wrote about them and it helped people but that there is no moment when you figure out life and then it's all easy from then on out.

She spoke about her next book and what how her life had changed since Eat, Pray, Love was published. It was one of the shortest hours of my life while she talked. When she was finished, a Q&A session began. It too passed by all too quickly. So simple and lovely complex at the same time.

If you live in a city where she will be talking, please go. You'll find it charming and funny with a subtle taste of inspiration and wisdom. Perhaps her greatest wisdom lies in her honesty and willingness to share things bluntly.

I never got to meet or hear Madeleine L'engle speak; this was a little retribution to me.

I need to watch out for what other authors I love are speaking somewhere: Paulo Coelho, Stephen King, Amy Tan, Emily Griffin, Judy Blume, Jennifer Weiner, Stephanie Meyer, Nicholas Sparks, Greg Mortenson, Cecelia Ahern, Ann Brashares, Sue Kidd, Tim Farrington, Lauren Weisberger, Nick Hornby, Alice Sebold, Tim O'Brien, Philip Pullman, and many others that I cannot think of at the moment.

If you know of any good books or authors you think I may be missing out on, please let me know.