MORNING IN PARIS

I woke up this morning, the view of the sky and those famous Parisian rooftops barely visible past the thick condensation settled upon the window. A heavy sleep scattered with odd dreams of crashing waves and strangers meant for a restless waking at the sound of the alarm. In need of caffeine and comfort I swung my legs out of bed, stretched, made porridge and coffee and climbed back in to bed to idly watch the news. After an hour I felt I should move so set out my mat to do some yoga, meditate, I ate a mid morning snack and read. Nothing too ground breaking, but comforting.

Once the clouds finally gave way to a hint of blue, I dressed and headed down the road for more coffee and in true French fashion, a bit of people watching. I am now sat upstairs in a cafe, above the street, windows giving site to the typical looming Haussman buildings with views of tourists, workers, going about their business. Again, the clouds have hidden that dear blue I love as I look out the windows. People seem to scurry below, their legs never able to move them quick enough and their eyes down, unaware of the possibility of a warm smile. There’s the homeless, grandmothers, fathers, sisters, orphans, sons, daughters all walking up and down the same street. It’s easy to start imagining a life story for them. Why are they here? Where have they come from? How did they feel when they got out of bed this morning? Humans are so funny when you take a moment to observe. There are people smiling, talking on the phone, there are people crying down the phone. Hand holding, stolen kisses, running commentary of lives, a sombre looking man who looks like he doesn’t quite know where he’s going. There’s a high possibility that each and every one of these observations are wrong but it is interesting nonetheless and I should count myself lucky that I have time to observe, see and learn. 

Learning about people, getting to know people is fascinating, figuring out likes and dislikes, what makes them tick and what pains them. Being in new places and seeing new things, observing every detail it’s too easy to hold back from the discussions, the new faces and to just sit and look and listen. Paris is so intense and alive and it’s too easy to feel a little lost but the moment I use my eyes I see so many others who also look a little lost, trying to find a space of their own to walk within along these streets, a space to live in and feel in. It’s not just the twenty somethings who look this way, there are people from all walks of lives still figuring out what they’re doing as they carry their emotions and baggage from place to place.