So, I've taken a little bit of time off since my last post. Things got a bit more intense at work as I finished up a project and got prepared to take on a new one. I was running around, facilitating fitness modules on the weekends, during one of the busiest streaks since I became a trainer. It didn't help that some different flu/strep strains were making the rounds and I found myself sick for a good part of the time. Something had to give...
Everything pointed to the fact that I needed to take a break, so take a break I did!
La Femme Blanquita and I packed up and took off for Paris, France.
I've done a fair bit of travel, but I've never been able to find an excuse to spend time in the City of Lights. And it happens to be one of L.F.B.'s favorite places in the world, so it just made sense that we should cross the Atlantic for an extended weekend.
I always marvel at the fact that there is so much history in places. Here in the U.S., we are rightfully proud of our monuments and our buildings and our Disney parks. But the reality is that there are buildings in Europe that have been around longer than our country has existed! I think it would give everyone here a completely different perspective on life if they took the opportunity to travel outside the U.S.!
Highlights included:
- walking along the Seine at sunset with the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower in the distance
- Walking around, people-watching in Montmartre
- Seeing all the little shops and enjoying the "cafe mentality" (parking yourself on a stool with a cafe allonge to admire life)
- Seeing the incredible medieval architecture and imagining how awe-inspiring it would be to a serf that had never seen skyscrapers or electricity
- I could have spent days at the Louvre, admiring all of the incredible works of art
It was just the mental, emotional, & physical recharge that I needed. I came back and hit the ground running.
Interestingly enough, the reaction from most folks was amazement at the fact that we chose to escape to France for a long weekend. It was such a common reaction that it made me stop to think why our trip was so unusual.
Some folks would say that a long weekend isn't enough to see Paris and that they would rather wait until they could have at least a week free to go.
Some would say that there are so many easier places around here and that it must have been so difficult to deal with the long flight.
Some couldn't believe that L.F.B. and I would go to a French-speaking locale when neither of us could speak the language.
The fact is there are always reasons why we shouldn't do something, and if we give those reasons any validity, we'll never do anything! L.F.B. and I lead pretty busy lives by choice, and if we waited until we were both free for a week, we'd never take a vacation!
If we were dissuaded by the time difference, long flight, and "hassle", we'd miss out on all the wonders that this world holds. And with a trusty phrasebook, a little patience, and some common courtesy, the world will open up in front of you.
I've been in the position of waiting before. I've missed out on opportunities to do things that I've wanted to do. But you start to realize that those opportunities won't last forever. In keeping with the concept of unsteady state, I've come to realize that we've got to make the most of our time and experience life. And so I consciously take those opportunities when they come now. Fortunately, L.F.B. shares my zest for life, as long as there's good food and a clean bed!
What is holding you back from doing the things you want to do? What steps can we take to experience the life we want to live?
“The key to change... is to let go of fear.” - Rosanne Cash