Elizabeth Gilbert no longer believes she’s a bad person

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of *Eat, Pray, Love* and *All the Way to the River*, discusses themes of addiction, self-accountability, and spirituality. Gilbert reflects on her past relationship with Rhea Elias, exploring her role as an enabler during Elias's struggle with drug addiction and terminal cancer. She shares her journey toward self-acceptance, learning to challenge her belief that she is fundamentally "bad and wrong." Gilbert contrasts forgiveness with mercy, favoring the latter as a shared recognition of the difficulties of being human. She also recounts a childhood memory of lively, albeit alcoholic, family dinners and how those experiences shaped her attraction to "wild" individuals.