NEW YEAR / NEW LIFE

ALIVE!!

How is that for a “lede”? Did I get your attention?

If so, get a coffee. This may take a few minutes.

I HAD A DREAM.  As an early age, I knew that I wanted big things for me.  What? I did not know, but it was big. 

I used to dream of Europe, living somewhere in Europe.  And anything that came between me and my dream, I eliminated. 

In college, I had the opportunity to study at the Sorbonne for a year.  Mother would not let me go.  Too many foreigners to do me wrong.  That is what foreigners do.  (Sigh).   That was when I knew that I had to get to Paris, one way or the other. 

LOTS of passages.  Men, careers.  

And one by one, I moved on.  And now I am here!!  I am so happy.  Not all of us are still alive. I AM!!!

Now, it is not my idea of a good landing in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, but here I am.  I will admit that I feel late to the party.  But I AM HERE!  Paris. 

OK, it is/was not everyone’s dream, but it was mine.  IT propelled me all my life.  Not Gainesville. Atlanta. Not Nice.  PARIS. And all of the stops in between.

THE PROBLEM IS I am a small town girl, needing to embrace a city.  How?  Like I did Los Angeles? 

No.  This is different.

How?

I don’t know yet.  I am going to try to find out. From my point of view, they say that every great city has a pulse.  San Francisco has one, so does Boston, London, and New York to be sure.  But to have a pulse, one must have a heart.  This town has a heart and it beats like a kettledrum.  The traffic is still just short of frantic.  And the people still walk with a pace and a purpose.  It is possible to tour without a car, a taxi, a bus or even the Metro.  The great cities are the ones you can walk in – say hello to a great city  Police with sub-machine guns walk the streets, but there are no scars, there is no fear.  Life goes on.  This place was here long before the terrorists and it will be here long after.  That said, Mister Porter had it right. “I love Paris every moment!”–

And a big shout out to my teachers en route.  When a student is ready, a teacher appears IF the student is willing to learn.   I am expanding my Universe.  And, in 2022, I plan “to embrace” Paris. 

How?  I don’t know yet. 

December 22, 1933 was Hadidjah’s birthday.  Hadidjah was an important teacher in my life.  Here is the beginning of a list that I made of my “teachers” of important life lessons.  And, I don’t have confidence in Karma.  I am not sure that most students are willing to learn.  And life may or may not force it upon them.  I count myself in among those willing to learn. PLUS, life most time insisted a lot of times.  Haha. 

So, I have been thinking about “teachers” in my life – that magically appeared, or I happened to meet by accident.  Synchronicity?  Maybe.  There have been a lot that made my list over the years.  Some are good memories.  Some are painful memories.

Daddy (both good and painful)

Ruby Parks (good)

Barbara Jewell (my sister) (both good and painful)

Miss Bessie (painful)

Jane Hulsey (painful)

Bertha Turner (painful)

Dr. Kahan (good)

Dr. Leighton Ballew (both good and painful)

Josiah Crudup (both good and painful)

Lou Pilgrim (both good and painful)

Hadidjah (good)

Audrey Boehn (both good and painful)

And more throughout life and others who continue to this day.

Have you had “teachers” in your life? Each one of us has teachers appear from time to time because life is a process that is ever-changing if I/we am/are alive. And, recently, I have discovered that I harbor grudges. Oops. AND, I am in Paris, trying to enlarge my universe and get healthy. And money is a problem. BIG OPPS.

So, I am on a crash course heading to find out why I think I am here and letting go of my mistakes in the past and forgiving bad experiences. And, if you have a problem with that, STOP READING THIS BLOG. And, by the way, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY. NEW YEAR, NEW LIFE for all of us. Every moment is brand new.

And now for some funnies.

Best, Jay