Paris was one of my first solo trips after going through a big life transition, and as such, has always held a special place in my heart. There is something about the way that the joy of Paris seeps into you slowly, in bits, with the scent of freshly baked goods, the afternoon light reflected on the Seine, and the peek into beautiful courtyards on an ordinary street. It’s a place where small pleasures and simple luxuries are noticed, appreciated, savored. The magic of Paris, it seems to me, is not through exclusivity or grand moments, but through daily life-affirming moments that cost nothing more than attention, curiosity, and the willingness to slow down long enough to notice the beauty around us. I try to visit Paris often. There are two reasons. One, because I feel that Paris is something like a person, and I must stay in touch if I want to maintain my relationship. And two, because I want to remind myself that it’s important to sit down and drink my coffee, that there is joy in meeting another human and simply learning about their unique experience of life, and most of all that we deserve to see the beauty in all things and in ourselves.
