| "We too often leave our souls behind. Caught up in urgency, we forget what is truly important in life. Pushed on by the demon of haste, we forget our souls-our dreams, our warmth, our wonder. From this viewpoint, it is clear how patience is a part of kindness, for how can we be kind if we do not respect the rhythm of others? We forget the soul-theirs and ours. The next time you surprise yourself while hurrying your child, or pacing up and down waiting for a late train, or forgetting to breathe in your haste, ask yourself where you left your soul. Kindness has a slow pace." ~ Piero Ferrucci, The Power of Kindness |
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Having just completed an eighteen-day long delayed honeymoon through France, I returned to my home turf only to discover that a part of me is still there. The part of me I left behind (metaphorically, of course) is my soul. It is not at all that I don't love being back home, it is simply the fact that I really got into the rhythm of a different culture-a culture that honors the need for the soul and body to be in sync and harmony with life. It seems that within twelve hours of my return home, my body and mind were once again running far ahead of my soul. There is something more for me to learn regarding the rhythm of my life.
I found it interesting that before I left for France, a number of people admonished me to "Be ready for an experience with brash people who don't like Americans." The only thing I can report to you is that we drove over 2,400 kilometers, from one end of France to the other and never had even one such encounter. If anything, our experience was laced with kind people. The French people were friendly, and, on more than one occasion, very helpful in giving us directions (including a map drawn on the wrapping for a baguette-truly). Language differences didn't seem to get in the way of heartfelt communications. Kindness seemed to be extended to us at every turn. I would like to think that was because Diane and I were such exceptional people they all instantly loved us, but that wasn't the case at all. The only thing we did was observe the rhythm of the culture and make a conscious decision to merge with it rather than push against it or try impose our American rhythm on them. By rhythm, I mean how they "do" life-how life flows in that culture. As an example, we rented a car, which in and of itself was an "interesting" way to experience their culture. Learning how to let go of my expectations of when and how traffic "should" flow through the roundabout's and one-way streets, I just put the peddle to the metal and did my best to stay up with the crowd. It was amazing how everyone just sort of merged in a lane-less unity of one massive flow of traffic-a perfect harmonious blend of motor scooters, Renaults and trucks. It was an interesting dance of energy to become part of, and I have to admit, it was more of an adrenaline rush than any ride at Disneyland. I continually reminded myself of the old adage, "Never drive faster than your guardian angle can fly". No doubt, our angels were on duty while we drove.
While in France, Diane and I did our best to live as the French live. We commingled with the rhythm of the culture and we honored it. After a few days we really began to enjoy the differences. The hours the French sleep and dine are far different than "ours", the food they eat is considerably different than "ours", where everything is freshly prepared and the closest thing to fast food is a baguette strapped to the handlebars of a bicycle. The pace, while energetic, was never rushed. In my estimation, the French people have mastered the art of enjoying the moment, which even includes sharing it with their pets as part of the family unit. (They allow people to bring their dogs into restaurants-at least where we traveled). Without question, the French people are not wound nearly as tight as most of us. The French give themselves ample time for eating and connecting with one another…and I noticed they laughed a lot. Perhaps that is because of the ever-present wine being served, but I think it is far more than that. I think they enjoy the moment because their souls are in alignment with their bodies. As one Frenchman told us, "Life in France is not about the quality of our possessions but the quality of our lives; we value our relationships and the time to enjoy them." Perhaps we encountered no "brash" people because we didn't expect to encounter them. Then again, perhaps it was because we let go of any attachment to imposing our rhythm of life on them. Perhaps it was because we really had a chance to allow our souls to catch up with our bodies. Perhaps it was all the above.
How about you? Are you sensitive to your own rhythm and how it may differ from the rhythm of others? Are you giving your soul a chance to catch up with you on a daily basis? You don't have to travel halfway around the world to be reminded how important it is to honor the rhythm of life-both yours and other people's as well. Be kind to yourself and be kind to others by honoring the rhythm of life. You deserve it and so do they, oui?
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