Serenity Now!

Even just saying the word relaxation can, by itself, sometimes create a calming experience.  Maybe it's because of all that term conjures up: deep breathing, lack of stress, endorphins on the rise, simple pleasures.  You get the idea.  And, when we think of relaxation, the beauty of the concept is that it translates into an almost infinite variety of possibilities wholly dependent on the personality and psyche of the person engaged in the contemplation.  For some, it means just leaning back in a most comfortable chair or couch and contemplating nothing.  For others, it's the closing minutes of a yoga class when you can hit the floor and devolve into savasana, or "corpse pose" as it is widely known.  Often, it's sitting on a secluded beach and staring out at a most calming ocean.  Or possibly, just sitting back, feet propped up, and listening to the music that soothes your soul.  As I say, the possibilities are nearly endless.

But, when you're in Paris -- well, at least for me -- another possibility presents itself.  And, that's sitting at an outdoor table at one of the gazillions of cafes and taking in the world as it sidles past you.  There is something zen-like here, maybe even meditative if I want to lean towards the hyperbole.  It is a place without time limits, without interruptions, but one that offers a cinematic view of local life with all the color and diversity that life offers.

When Lily and I are in Paris, it is often the case that Lily loves to spend her mornings sleeping late and then engaging in her wonderful pursuit of painting until early or mid-afternoon.  That means for me that I get up earlier, have breakfast and then hit the streets in search of nothing in particular except drinking in the local vibe.  That entails walking the neighborhoods for hours -- the streets, the parks, the river walks.  But, I confess, not an insignificant objective on my part is not just the walk, as wonderful as that is, but the breaks from the walk where I can stop at a café, lean back, bask in the sun, and order up a café crème or glass of rose depending on my mood.

While it is hardly unique to Parisians, I love the pace of those strolling by.  These folks are not running off to meetings or worried about some deadlines.  At least not in a way that Americans do. Rather, they are wandering albeit with an eventual destination in mind.  This is particularly true of people sharing their stroll with someone else, whether a spouse, dating partner, or friend.  Invariably, the spirit of the conversation is positive.  No one is yelling at each other; no melodramas are unfolding.  Many are walking amiably with a baguette tucked under their arm, the end of the loaf already nibbled clean.  Being a quintessentially cosmopolitan city, Paris offers up a wide variety of languages that one can discern as strollers pass by.  Mostly French, of course, but also English, Spanish, German and a variety of eastern European and Asian languages that I am utterly unable to identify.  But, it doesn't matter.  I admit that I sometimes overhear the conversation of English speakers passing by that can be entertaining.  Like the American guy strolling by telling his friend that when he was in Portugal he kept forgetting to say "obrigado" -- which is the proper way to say thank you -- and kept saying instead "avocado."  Amusing, right?  But, by far, the better course is to  allow the chatter to simply become background music, part of a soundtrack that in sort of an existential way serves as a substitute for a soothing mantra.  Think of it as one very long "Ommm."

So, what's to look at?  Just about everything, I say.  Fashion is interesting which surprises me since I pay no attention to that anywhere else.  But, it is interesting, even amusing, to see how many different ways someone can wear a scarf, for example.  Scarves are ubiquitous and the assortment of color and design is seemingly endless.  I could be wrong about this, but I believe to be legally a French citizen one must wear a scarf no matter what the season.  Then, an ongoing inquiry is how tight can your pants be?  In Paris, both men and women seem to be finding new benchmarks for eliminating any airflow that might make contact with the lower half of their bodies, almost as if there is some health hazard there that hasn't been shared with outsiders.  And, the shoes!  How some of these women stay on their feet as they come prancing by with footwear whose heels are so thick and so high that for all the world they resemble very artfully crafted cinder blocks is a mystery to me.  On rainy days, one can take in the bombastic array of bright, multi-colored umbrellas and crazily designed raincoats that shimmer and add life to what might otherwise appear to be a dreary day.

Then there are the dogs.  Certainly, there are many who are average in size, but they are vastly outnumbered by breeds so small they, in my mind, barely qualify as canines.  Let's just say many would fit comfortably in a Louis Vuitton handbag.  And, let's not forget the wonderfully energized kids.  Like kids everywhere, they don't really recognize limitations on their range of movement or the decibel level of their playful outcries.  I love watching them streaming past on their mini-scooters weaving, mostly successfully, through the throngs on the sidewalk.  Their parents nonchalantly follow behind unconcerned about whatever mischief their young ones might engage in. Perfect.  If you should happen to be sitting at a café on a market street, like Rue Mouffetard, it brings a smile as you watch the interaction with customers and the animated, hand gesture-filled conversations taking place.  It doesn't matter what they're saying; it's the visible tableau that your senses are responding to. 

All in all, what passes in front of you while you casually sit back sipping your wine or coffee is nothing short of a cinematic landscape almost in slow motion, constantly changing, offering up a peaceful montage of life Parisian style.  Lean back, take a deep breath, smile and forget whatever it is that might have been bothering you.  In that moment, you are relaxing, and you are at peace.