La Joie de Vivre
Bonjour! I’m back from my summer sabbatical and I can’t wait to share with you some highlights from our adventures. There were so many high moments that I will cherish forever coupled with some inevitable low points. But what’s an adventure if not for the roller coaster of emotions and experiences that often accompany it. I hope you enjoy the ride!
When planning our three-week trip to France, I took Anthony Bourdain’s sage advice to heart and focused on “doing less.” In his ode to savoring the City of Lights, he remarked:
"Most of us are lucky to see Paris once in a lifetime. Please, make the most of it by doing as little as possible. Walk a little. Get lost a bit. Eat. Catch a breakfast buzz. Have a nap. Eat again. Lounge around drinking coffee. Maybe read a book. Drink some wine. Eat. Repeat. See? It's easy."
Having been fortunate enough to visit Paris before, we had already crossed off the major monuments from our list. This time, we were free to avoid the tourist traps and truly soak in the essence of the city. After an initial night in a hotel in the heart of Paris, we retreated to a charming suburban apartment with a million-dollar view of the Eiffel Tower.
Our daily mission was delightfully simple – make it home in time to get a fresh, crusty baguette from the local boulangerie before it closed. With a five-year-old in tow, flexibility was key, and we embraced a leisurely approach, meandering through the city’s parks and gardens, living life as locals.
As the afternoon wore on, we would find a café, settle in next to each other facing the street, and indulge in spritz cocktails or mint tea/coffee, people-watching as the French engaged in animated post-work conversations. Our daughter, happily engrossed in her travel crayons and coloring book, built her own little art portfolio.
Sundays were for joining local families in the neighborhood park for leisurely picnics, enjoying homemade baguette sandwiches, monster chips, and chocolate cookies. The only regret was forgetting the wine.
La Joie de Vivre – the joy of life – encapsulates the unhurried pace of letting the day unfold without agenda or pressure. It’s a life where boredom only sneaks in when the iPad replaces card games and coloring, where each sip and bite is savored without haste.
There’s much to learn from the French way of being.
When was the last time you spent an afternoon cherishing each moment, savoring the bread, drinking the wine (or your favorite non-alcoholic beverage), without the need to be productive? This is what life is all about.
I must admit that trying to maintain this slower cadence and essence has been difficult with our return back home. The closest thing I have been able to manage is taking time to make a decaf cappuccino – a drink that takes effort and patience to be made properly. But I want to keep trying.
How can you embrace some Joie de Vivre this week?
Add your thoughts to the comments below with your ideas.
For, the world needs who you were made to be.
