En Français, S'il vous plâit!
For my education, and most teens in the US during the 90s, it required a few years of French (or Spanish, German or Latin) which has served me well in life. I travelled during college and got to speak a sentence or two. I call that success. It has also given me a feeling of openness to new cultures, like trying to order enchiladas with the confidence of someone who speaks multiple languages. (I do not, but I am a polyglot appreciator)
Then I had kids...
My kids are fucking fantastic. You've heard some of my chronic illness concerns with my oldest (who is an amazing person), but I have another rock star who has recently graduated high school and remains anonymous. They are going to college soon which makes this a time of full on celebration for us parents. With it comes a vacay that is one for the books, a Paris trip.
These trips allow for some exploration, new experiences and I have to say the best damn italian food I've ever had. It may be that Paris is super famous for Italian food but holy crap I'm finding it out this time around. Simple foods make me the happiest, to be honest. They accompany good wines best. Bread, cheese and maybe some spiced meats or fruits... Life is good.
Also finding out just what an amazing person your kid is (like you didn't know) makes life worth living. How much they love just experiencing new things, how interested they are in life and how good of a person they have become. There's no better gift to a parent than to know your kids will be okay. Because you spend so much time organizing, planning and just hoping on your knees that things turn out well in this piece of shit timeline. When you get to an inflection point and you can take a deep breath, it makes all the effort and time worthwhile, and the celebration sweeter.
Being in a place of beauty and history gives you a sense of peace that you can finally grasp with both hands. You can say "I made this" and send your joy into the universe, like the potential energy you've been storing for years and have some confidence that life will go on. Cosmic breathing, as I call it.
Getting to experience places like this in the world gives me a tiny sense that an "ether" exists. You'll never get this crazy atheist to admit to a deity, but some unknown connection I can allow. Goodness, humanity, joy and art, I'll agree to it. Humans have been waging war in the name of various religions since the beginning, but enlightenment? Okay. We can vibe with growth, learning and great art. This is how the human race goes on, along with science of course.
The best place to experience and learn is Europe. So many cultures nowadays want to cage and automate our brains, best to let them free flow while we can. Our children will learn soon enough the dregs of adulthood and work-life balance myths. Give them time to grow while they are still forming. Time to express and make whatever inconsequential mistakes they can make. And just fucking enjoy themselves, for fucks' sake. It's not time wasted, it's time evolving into their futures. Hopefully it gives them that sense of existential danger they will look back and recognize as the best time of their lives.
I'll leave you with one statement:
"If you find yourself on a cliff, look around to see who's next to you. Those are your people."
'Til the last drop - N
