WEEK 10- THE PENULTIMATE WEEK
The cold is starting to settle in here. Leaving the apartment with less than 2 layers of clothing is just not practical. The wind kicks up my umbrella at least once a day (when it rains) and my cold hands turn red from being frozen. Today, I warmed up one of the many pastel green chairs in the Luxembourg Gardens as I waited for my French penpal to arrive. I took in the view of the garden in gloomy light, there weren't as many people around as when I visited earlier in September- when the sun beckoned crowds to the expansive spaces. I could see the Tour Eiffel behind a misty veil in the distance. And if I looked close enough I could see the rain ebbing as it fell with the current of the wind. It's about to be December so I listen to She & Him's Christmas album, it is very fitting.
Before this trip, I remembered seeing a picture of the Luxembourg Gardens while scrolling through my Instagram feed one day and wishing so badly that I could just transport myself there already. I sat there with this thought in mind and felt like I was buzzing. When I really stop to think about it, I find myself washed up with so much (thankfulness, emotion, joy, etc). Last night, Sarah & I came back from our weekend away in Belgium. We came home at a reasonable time and our homestay mother cooked dinner for us. I always love these weekly dinners because it's different each time. But this last one has to be one of the most profound so far! We talked about so many things but life was the topic of the evening. Madame Dugan discussed several aspects of it in greater detail, she was especially vivacious. She spoke of her own experience and how she really appreciates the elderly, who have lived their lives- a lifetime manifested in their eyes ("The eyes are a reflection of the soul", as she put it). There was something she said that made me still for a moment. And it struck me.
"The time - you can never get back the time" she said.
It's interesting to think about my anticipations prior to arriving in France. I thought that I'd be having such a fun time all the time and I'd be up all the hours of the night doing so many things. Traveling to at least a dozen countries (even considering Japan, but that was a pipe dream). But I think I found that once the hyperactive excitement wore off, I started to really live here. I didn't get to visit all the places I wanted to, but instead I learned to drink in the sights, sounds, feelings... and focus my efforts on reveling. Often times I found myself getting burned out after each weekend trip to another country, so staying up late wasn't much of an option- no matter how much I so badly wanted to do so. In fact, sleep is a necessity in order to truly enjoy the time spent here. But I think what was one of the most profound things I've experienced is home stay life. To come home to a family and share life with, even for only 3 months, has been remarkable. I connected with my home stay family so well, it's amazing to look back on how it's progressed in such a short amount of time. The conversations we had, the stories we shared, the laughter we relished- all of this, to my surprise, had such a profound effect on me. And this... this time spent here, has been truly fruitful beyond my expectations.
Every moment is fleeting and time never waits for us. For me, time well spent breeds bliss. And with delight, I want to tell my readers that I would be perfectly happy to give another 3 months to this beautiful country.
P.S. I am so stoked to spend my birthday here in Paris! A dream come true, really.
