Settle In
“Settle in.”
My brain is on overload currently but there is this quiet whisper within that tells me over and over again-- “Settle in, settle in.”
In essence, give in to this place, Paris, and succumb to the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. Enjoy. Breathe. Think. Be aware, and fully alive (even if being fully alive necessitates messing up a thousand French words and getting in everyone’s way by accident on the Metro). What a joy it is to be fully alive, making mistakes and decisions, speaking and seeing and being present in Paris.
It doesn’t seem quite real that I am here. I don’t know what I think of Paris yet (how quick we are to try to make judgements!), only that I feel out of place and like I belong all at once.
It’s always astounding to me after I travel somewhere to realize that yes, 5,000 miles away, real life DOES go on in Paris, France. People live here. Just like me, they buy groceries and go to work, take classes and spend time with friends. They smile and joke (albeit in a much more reserved way), nourish themselves with food and drink, and return home at night to rest.
As an American, we are half a world away, the French and I... but suddenly my world has converged with theirs and what this means I do not know yet.
Paris holds me this evening, my tired self, full from the richest dinner I’ve possibly had. She holds me and I will give in... I’ll settle in. I’ve made it here, to this wonderfully imperfect, bold and beautiful place. And I’ll settle in.
