Postlude- Leaving Paris 6/14/08

On Saturday before heading to the airport Tom, Carol, and I went down to “Carol’s bridge” to take one last look at the Paris which enchants us. Carol reminded me of a quote from Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast. “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast”. I hope this is also true for the more middle-aged as well. I want to make it true. The city is alive with architecture, green-space, art, music, thought, discourse, romance. The pictures on the blog speak to the architectural beauty of the city. For a city the size of Paris I was happily amazed at the amount of green-space in the city. There are numerous parks, gardens, and fountains in each neighborhood-- and they are used. The rooftops are dotted with terrace gardens and container gardens fill many window boxes.
These are merely the physical elements. The people of Paris are the soul of the city. To have had the opportunity to live among them for two weeks has been a privilege. Every interaction has carried the potential opportunity to reflect on who I am, how I interact with others, and the value of making the effort to connect. I have enjoyed some service staff at the cafés who initially present as stand-offish as I butcher their language to make my order. Over the course of the meal things may warm a bit as I demonstrate that I want to learn the correct pronunciation, or graciously accept the corrections and practice. I have sincerely appreciated those who have freely offered assistance with directions, translations, and picture taking. I find, in general, life in Paris is about celebrating and honoring life’s processes and protocols. If you display a sincere interest, Parisians are happy to share and help you to appreciate their ways.
After exploring the city during the day, there were opportunities to rest at an Irish pub in the heart of Paris. This presented an opportunity to meet Parisians who are ex-patriots from the states and other countries. They also make up the soul of Paris. There is an excellent guitar/vocalist, Barry, who has been in Paris for over twenty years and has had a regular gig at the Pub for sixteen years. A very talented man who has carved out a life for himself in Paris. There is a crew of young bartenders, Marseille and Cat, who are in their twenties and have rolled the dice to try a different way of life. One can meet artists, students, football (soccer) fans, struggling musicians, poets, and even a FED EX flight crew, (who were very cheap tippers) and there was always a good conversation to be had.
While standing on that bridge saying good-bye I found myself sad to leave, but hopeful that I would return one day. Reflecting on Hemingway’s words I also realized that I always would have a little bit of Paris with me. (and not because I met the age criteria.) The hope is I can take some of what I have witnessed to be the best of that feast and incorporate it into my daily life. Now, back home, with my to-do list growing, I feel the grind beginning again. I set aside some time to write this entry. Some time to process and appreciate the process. It’s important to note, once again, that the world did not come to an end. For a planted seed there is hope!
Keith----------