-David Deida
“What is the one thing I have always wanted since I was a child?” I asked my brother and his wife. “You are moving to Paris,” they answered nearly in unison. Since the time I was in high school I wanted to live in Paris. My father wouldn’t allow me to participate in a student exchange program in those days and the yearning never went away. Even as a younger child I dreamed in French; long before I could actually speak the language. I don’t know if it was real French or merely gibberish, but either way I had the language on my mind. I have had a lifetime of overwhelming longing to live in Paris and now I am taking the plunge and actually doing it.
I have visited Paris three times before. After college my boyfriend at the time and I backpacked around Europe. We saw many interesting sites in England, Scotland, Holland, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy, Germany and France. We towed along our backpacks, traversed many miles and ate and slept on many trains. We had the pleasure of meeting wonderful people from all over the world in whatever country we happened to be in at the time. I even left half the contents from my backpack with some strangers we met on the first day in Europe. I had packed far too much and my pack was too heavy for me to carry. What can I say, I am a typical woman! They kindly offered to keep my overload under their bed while we circled around the continent for the next two months. I thought they were unusually kind to me considering we had just met. As I continued on my trip, I learned that Europeans travel all the time and open their doors much more readily than Americans. This kindness is much more commonplace in Europe than it is here in the states and I truly appreciated it.
From city to city we traveled and when we arrived in Paris things were different. I took my first step off the train and an overwhelming sense of familiarity came upon me. Now a train station is certainly not the Eifel Tower or the Louvre. It’s not a beautiful site that you wish to explore. It’s filled with graffiti, gypsies begging for money and scents of urine wafting to your nose. Yet as soon as I touched terra firma I knew I was home. As I took a few more steps I heard a few people speaking French behind me and I revelled in the beauty of the sounds. I didn’t speak any French at the time outside of ‘oui’ and ‘non’ and I had no idea what they were saying, but it didn't matter. I was blissed out simply by listening. Their language was still looming in the air when I turned around and saw the words were coming from three punk rockers with purple Mohawks, rings in places I had not seen before and clothes that could have been on an alien or a rock star. This was the 80’s so face rings and tattoos were not worn by very many people yet. It was much more of a novelty. Needless to say, I was surprised to hear such beauty coming from these people. Yet, even through my shock at their appearance I knew we were kindred spirits in some way.
On my second trip I actually quit my job, rented an apartment in the Latin Quarter and lived there for two months. I experienced what apartment living was like in Paris. I dined like the Parisians; I shopped like the Parisians; I soaked in the marvelous city as though it were my last day on Earth and had to enjoy every moment. On that trip, when I realized that I had to go home the next day, I actually spilled tears on my friend’s shoulder. I wasn’t ready to come home yet.
Then two years ago I ventured to Europe where I explored Belgium, Luxembourg, England and France for a month. My visit to Paris was for only two short weeks. Once again, it wasn’t long enough and once again I came home.
Why didn’t I just stay? There are a million excuses I gave myself over the years. How will I make money? How will I eat? How will I be able to afford an apartment? I am not fluent in French. The EU will only allow a visitor to stay in Europe for six months a year, three months at a time. My parents will be mad. Ahh, we’ve arrived at the core of the issue; my parents will be mad.
We’ve all grown up with two voices inside our heads; the one that holds our passions and intuitive information and the other voice; the voice of fear that our parents gave us. Don’t get me wrong our parents absolutely want what is best for us, but they are influenced by fear and impose their fears on us. They are passing on the fears of their own parents who are passing on the fears of their parents, and so on.
They want us to have a beautiful home, spouse, children, and career. But, most parents think from a linear perspective. They want what they think is best for us and not what we think is best for us. It all comes down to a false sense of security. They want us to keep the job that pays $100,000 a year that we detest, because, “What will you do without the income?” “How will you pay the bills and support your family?” These questions of guilt loom in our minds and we create a deep sense of worry. That little voice inside you saying “NO!” is actually the voice of your parents, not your true intuitive voice coming directly from Source. Unfortunately, most of us stay in jobs that aren't part of our passion...not part of our destiny. We believe that little gnawing voice and don’t pursue our dreams sticking to the cookie cutter version of ourselves instead of expressing our authentic lives.
I, myself, thought that I would wait until I had a certain amount of money in the bank and on that glorious day I would pack up and leave. So, what has happened? I have been waiting and waiting and waiting some more. I am 42 years old and I have waited half my lifetime. The Universe wants us to live in the present, not in the past and not in the future. I could be waiting forever until I die and regret not doing what I have always wanted to do. Having regret is not how I choose to live my life.
Last week a shift occurred inside me when an argument ensued between my parents and me. I don’t think it’s important to relay the argument here, except to say since there is a message in every event, I wondered what it was for me. Through a series of steps it came to me that I need to do exactly what I have always wanted and the time is now, not for some unforeseen date in the future, but now…this year. I chose December 31st to leave and will arrive in Paris on January 1st. I am starting out 2009 with a bang.
I bought my one-way ticket and advertised for several international house-sitting agencies. I have been networking with friends, clients and their friends and clients. As of today I only have $200 cash in my pocket and yet I am making this move anyway, trusting in the Universe; knowing that it will provide.
I have always remembered an article I read several years ago about a man who had one suitcase and $100 when he arrived in San Francisco. He walked into one of the hotels and overheard a conversation between some of the employees that the florist wasn’t bringing the flowers for a particular event that night. The man jumped in and said he would do it. Without any experience, little money and only a few hours to accomplish his task, this man pulled off his first event. He is now the leading florist for all the glamorous parties in the city. He had vision and came to the city knowing it would all work out and I am taking a lesson from him.
Do the circumstances of my move mean that I am fearless? On the contrary, I am scared beyond belief. Fears do not go away through the Enlightenment process. The difference now is that I am facing my fears and moving forward with my dream anyway, knowing that the abundance will show up for me. There is a reason why I have had this passion inside me all these years. The Universe has been trying to tell me something. I am not sure what is out their waiting for me, but I am looking forward to finding out.
Not everyone’s dream is to live in Paris or to make a move at all. We are all here for a reason, however. It is our job to find out what that reason is and make it happen. You may want to start a children’s toy company, or work for a non-profit agency, or write a book. Look into your heart and soul and listen to what passions you have. Listen, pay attention, move through your fears and take action. You are only incarnated on this planet as you this one time. Don’t waste your precious time here with regret. See that you are Light and know that when you are fulfilling your passions, the Universe ALWAYS provides.
Thank you for reading and Namaste! (The Light in me recognizes the Light in you!)
I, myself, thought that I would wait until I had a certain amount of money in the bank and on that glorious day I would pack up and leave. So, what has happened? I have been waiting and waiting and waiting some more. I am 42 years old and I have waited half my lifetime. The Universe wants us to live in the present, not in the past and not in the future. I could be waiting forever until I die and regret not doing what I have always wanted to do. Having regret is not how I choose to live my life.
Last week a shift occurred inside me when an argument ensued between my parents and me. I don’t think it’s important to relay the argument here, except to say since there is a message in every event, I wondered what it was for me. Through a series of steps it came to me that I need to do exactly what I have always wanted and the time is now, not for some unforeseen date in the future, but now…this year. I chose December 31st to leave and will arrive in Paris on January 1st. I am starting out 2009 with a bang.
I bought my one-way ticket and advertised for several international house-sitting agencies. I have been networking with friends, clients and their friends and clients. As of today I only have $200 cash in my pocket and yet I am making this move anyway, trusting in the Universe; knowing that it will provide.
I have always remembered an article I read several years ago about a man who had one suitcase and $100 when he arrived in San Francisco. He walked into one of the hotels and overheard a conversation between some of the employees that the florist wasn’t bringing the flowers for a particular event that night. The man jumped in and said he would do it. Without any experience, little money and only a few hours to accomplish his task, this man pulled off his first event. He is now the leading florist for all the glamorous parties in the city. He had vision and came to the city knowing it would all work out and I am taking a lesson from him.
Do the circumstances of my move mean that I am fearless? On the contrary, I am scared beyond belief. Fears do not go away through the Enlightenment process. The difference now is that I am facing my fears and moving forward with my dream anyway, knowing that the abundance will show up for me. There is a reason why I have had this passion inside me all these years. The Universe has been trying to tell me something. I am not sure what is out their waiting for me, but I am looking forward to finding out.
Not everyone’s dream is to live in Paris or to make a move at all. We are all here for a reason, however. It is our job to find out what that reason is and make it happen. You may want to start a children’s toy company, or work for a non-profit agency, or write a book. Look into your heart and soul and listen to what passions you have. Listen, pay attention, move through your fears and take action. You are only incarnated on this planet as you this one time. Don’t waste your precious time here with regret. See that you are Light and know that when you are fulfilling your passions, the Universe ALWAYS provides.
Thank you for reading and Namaste! (The Light in me recognizes the Light in you!)
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