I landed in Paris with a suitcase full of airy floral dresses, soft knit cardigans and (one) light weight jacket. With predicted temperatures in the 70s, I'd been anticipating sunshine and perfect weather. So you can imagine my state of surprise when I walked off the plane to a crisp 56 degrees and grey skies.
After a day of unexpected shopping for scarves, sweaters and coats, Sarah and I joked that not only did we arrive to a new country, a new culture, and a new language, but we arrived to an entirely new season. Gone were the days of swampy, hot summer. It was fall.
But even beyond the change in literal seasons, Paris seemed to kickstart a new season for me personally. I've been back in the states for a month now, and I've felt lighter and happier than I have in a long time. And it all started while I was there.
I don’t know about you, but any change in seasons almost always happens like this for me- literal or metaphorical. One day, the noticeable difference seems to hit you out of nowhere and boldly declare it’s arrival. And for the most part, the energy in the air is buzzing with excitement when it does.
We all look forward to pulling out our sundresses after a long harsh winter or overloading our grocery carts with pumpkin spice everything as soon as it hits the shelves. New seasons of T.V. shows prompt us to host watch parties with our friends and flood our news feeds with delight for each one's return. And even the least diligent student would likely confess the joy they find school supply shopping come August.
The English nerd in me is a sucker for symbolism, so I couldn’t help but meditate on this idea of new seasons (both literally and figuratively) during my time in Paris. What is it about them all that makes us so giddy?
I think it's really as simple as this: we all love a fresh start. We love to usher newness into our lives- sometimes to be reminded that things are no longer as they once were, and sometimes just to diversify what is already good.
Sure, I loved having an excuse to stroll the Champs-Élyées buying Parisian scarves and coats so I could bundle up after months of sweating with little relief. I loved seeing the leaves along the well manicured boulevards start to turn gold, adding complexity and depth to the one shade of green I've seen all year. And I loved relying on a piping hot espresso from our neighborhood café to warm me up every morning.
But I also loved buying hand-painted fans from vendors to escape the heat in Barcelona this summer. I loved wearing breezy sundresses that let the sun kiss my pale shoulders last spring in Rosemary Beach. I loved ordering a chilled glass of wine by the Mediterranean Sea in Cinque Terre or Capri. And I'm not above admitting I got teary-eyed when I saw the first green bud on the tree outside my window after a long, brutal winter (but I've also cried from a dog food commercial, so there's that).
I don't know what season you find yourself in right now. And I don't know what kind of season is up next for any of us. But I do know that there are seasons for everything: planting, uprooting, healing, building, weeping, laughing, mourning, dancing and everything in between. I suppose if we had control over the theme of each season, there are several we'd never choose for ourselves. We'd probably skip the brutality of winter and summer altogether and live in a perpetual state of spring and fall. But there are valuable lessons to be learned during all of them.
So far, I'm loving the seasons that I'm in now: the freedom of spirit, the adventures, the joy, and indulging in all the fall clichés like sweaters, cider and Hocus Pocus. And while seasons past haven't been nearly as fun, I can honestly stay (in hindsight) that I loved them too- because they're the ones that taught me important lessons, refined my faith, made me stronger, and showed me what it means to be content in all circumstances.
I don't know what lies ahead. But I do know I'll experience another winter, another time to mourn, another time to celebrate, and plenty of other seasons. But for now, this is the season I'm in. And any season that kicks off in Paris, is one that I have pretty a great feeling about.
