Day 19 – Let’s Get Lost

Hey there,

Today I let myself get lost in my neighbourhood and, as usual, discovered corners of it I never experienced in my last 18 days, here. There is always something new. There is always some beauty hidden if you take a moment to look. And then I got to thinking about the whole concept of walking without a purpose.

I mean, I walk around my neighbourhood, take streets I’ve never seen before, let myself be drawn in by some artwork or a shop window and then take another corner that’s new to me, and eventually my intent is to head back somewhere “safe” and “familiar” (to my apartment, for example, or a landmark I recognize).

It seems that no matter how many new streets I take, no matter how many turns in opposite directions that I wander, I always end up back on a street where I’m like, “Oh, right, I’m just straight up here!”

And isn’t life like that? We go on these paths, these journeys, where we are searching for new experiences, discoveries, memories, we want to take risks, discover ourselves, get lost in the abyss, but then our paths always end up where we are meant to be. Our paths always bring us home.

And by home, I don’t mean a physical building that your family lives in (but it could be!). I mean where our soul calls us to be. I mean where life is set up to bring us the most joy.

I think it’s important to have goals and dreams in life and to work at them. But I think getting frustrated when things don’t work according to our timeline is a complete waste of energy. If we give ourselves over to life, the fates, God(s), the universe, we will eventually end up where we are meant to be. Eventually, something will feel familiar (a path of opportunity) and our fear will vanish and we will run down it and appear just where we are supposed to settle.

I don’t believe in coincidences. I don’t believe in chance. I believe in purpose. I believe in fate. I truly adhere to the idea that there is a reason for everything. And I find it’s a lot easy to live a stress-free life when you give yourself over to that idea, when you let the universe take hold and show you reason, teach you lessons, force you down uncomfortable paths, and eventually bring you home.

Paris was meant to be my home. I believe that with every fiber of my being. I struggled with coming to terms with when exactly the universe would make this happen, but I’ve come to understand now that it was meant to be at this moment in my life. It was meant to happen when it did. I was made to wait for it so I would appreciate it and the experience it is bringing me even more. I was taught patience by the universe because it understood that patience is the mindset of French living. And I was made to wait because everything worth gaining in life takes time, takes a hard fight, takes risks.

I don’t know if I’ll be in Paris forever. I am so happy here, and each day I’m filled with the zest for life that you hear the French have. I get it. But right now, I’m not going to take a single day for granted. I’m going to soak in as much as I can from this experience, this (possibly) temporary chapter in the story of my life, and I’m going to let life take hold.

Where it takes me next, I welcome with open arms.
I’m ready to explore any unknown path.

And I’m just grateful.