I flew into France two days after the terrorist attacks on Paris. Was I scared? Yes. But I’m scared a lot, so I’m pretty good at it. And I had a motto for this trip. “What you are feeling is scared. What you are doing is brave.” So, here was my chance to be one brave mother.
Before the attacks happened, I was already preparing myself to be more open, more aware, and more receptive to any and all experiences I had while traveling. What the attacks added was an urgency to that intention. Notice life NOW. Make friends NOW. Feel things NOW. Sometimes there is no later.
Multiple flights, shuttle buses and trains later I was too tired to be scared. The people I stayed with were reacting to the attacks by living life as usual, (with maybe a few more hugs and “I love you’s” spread around.) So, I jumped in with both feet and lived life.
I arrived at La Muse, ready to write my heart, my soul onto the paper. Finally, I had the time, the space, the lack of responsibility I’d been craving. I had the urgency from the attacks pushing me. I had the support of fellow writers and artists. I had pen and paper, laptop and a plug in. My time was mine.
And I did write. But I also spent hours walking and thinking. Sitting and thinking. Reading and thinking. And while I wrote and thought and wrote some more, one thing kept whispering in my ear.
I missed my family.
I found on this retreat, a retreat that was as much about getting space away from my family as it was about writing, that they are so much a part of my life I need them around so I can write.
I missed them dearly.
Did I need to travel to France to figure this out? Evidently I did. I needed to travel far away to a place of great beauty filled with wonderful people to realize that is what I already have. I needed to look at the wonders of a foreign place so that I could remember how to look at the wonders of my home.
There is beauty, there is love, there is wonder everywhere. And I can create beautiful stories of love and wonder anywhere. But I’m better at it when I’m surrounded by family. When I’m surrounded by love.
So. What did I learn from traveling to a country that had just been attacked by terrorists?
I learned that love wins.
And, I learned that I am one, brave mother.
Love,
Chris
Before the attacks happened, I was already preparing myself to be more open, more aware, and more receptive to any and all experiences I had while traveling. What the attacks added was an urgency to that intention. Notice life NOW. Make friends NOW. Feel things NOW. Sometimes there is no later.
Multiple flights, shuttle buses and trains later I was too tired to be scared. The people I stayed with were reacting to the attacks by living life as usual, (with maybe a few more hugs and “I love you’s” spread around.) So, I jumped in with both feet and lived life.
I arrived at La Muse, ready to write my heart, my soul onto the paper. Finally, I had the time, the space, the lack of responsibility I’d been craving. I had the urgency from the attacks pushing me. I had the support of fellow writers and artists. I had pen and paper, laptop and a plug in. My time was mine.
And I did write. But I also spent hours walking and thinking. Sitting and thinking. Reading and thinking. And while I wrote and thought and wrote some more, one thing kept whispering in my ear.
I missed my family.
I found on this retreat, a retreat that was as much about getting space away from my family as it was about writing, that they are so much a part of my life I need them around so I can write.
I missed them dearly.
Did I need to travel to France to figure this out? Evidently I did. I needed to travel far away to a place of great beauty filled with wonderful people to realize that is what I already have. I needed to look at the wonders of a foreign place so that I could remember how to look at the wonders of my home.
There is beauty, there is love, there is wonder everywhere. And I can create beautiful stories of love and wonder anywhere. But I’m better at it when I’m surrounded by family. When I’m surrounded by love.
So. What did I learn from traveling to a country that had just been attacked by terrorists?
I learned that love wins.
And, I learned that I am one, brave mother.
Love,
Chris