Week 50

This week, I celebrate connection and a national holiday. It’s week 50!

Building connection

When I lived in Toronto, one of my favourite things to do was meet people for coffee. It was simple and inexpensive and allowed for great one-on-one conversations.

One particular day stands out in my memory. I had spent a couple of hours at a café with a friend and we were wrapping up our date when I got a text from another friend who asked if I wanted to meet. I stayed where I was and he joined me a short time later. After an hour or so, as we finished our conversation, another friend walked by and asked if I wanted another coffee. Then my cousin texted to say that he was out for a bike ride and making his way towards my neighbourhood. So I waited for him. In the end, I sat at that table for nearly 6 hours as friends came and went. I was heavily caffeinated and joyously happy. I loved the spontaneity of the day.

Another story of connection. My neighbour, Sam, and I used to go to the cafë at the base of our condo at 8:00 every Saturday morning. She lived across the hall from me and, at 7:59, we would send each other a text. “TTH!” To The Hall! I loved our conversations – we never ran out of things to talk about. Sam moved away from Toronto a couple of years before I did but we still keep in touch and this week had another great video chat. I loved the consistency of our coffee dates.

Sam and I at Arvo, our usual haunt. This was our last coffee together before she left Toronto.

I didn’t know anyone in Toronto when I moved there. At the beginning, I felt so lost. Then, slowly and surely, I began to develop friendships. Some were brief and timely, some were surface level, and some became deep, meaningful and lasting.

I keep this in mind as I create a new life here in France. Another week has gone by where I’ve straddled the line between past and present, balancing cherished video calls back to Canada with social events here in France. My week included video chats, coffee dates, a lunch out of town and two evening apéros. The planned and the impromptu, both English and French.

Connection is at the heart of who I am. Hey – do you have time for a coffee?

le 14 juillet

On July 14, 1789, Parisians stormed the Bastille fortress in an act of protest against King Louis XVI, sparking the beginning of the French Revolution. English speaking countries refer to it as Bastille Day, but in France it’s simply known by its date – le 14 juillet.

The holiday is celebrated across France and I was curious to see what would happen in Pézenas. What a party!

Les Estivales – the Monday night wine tasting event I talked about last week – moved from its usual location on Cours Jean Jaurès to the 14 juillet parking lot. I joined friends for wine and live music with a band and pyrotechnics. There was laughter and dancing and fireworks as the party continued late into the evening.

I went home after the fireworks were over, sat on the sofa for a minute, then realized I wasn’t done yet. I went back to the party – it was just a 2 minute walk from my home – bought a snack and sat at a picnic table listening to the music for another half hour. Vive la France !