Eiffel Tower versus Space Needle. Is it a contest?

by Kayce Stevens Hughlett

“For every fork in the road, there are often two paths from which to choose: the one you “should” take and the one you want to take.

Take the second. Always take the second.” Notes from the Universe

People often ask me what it is that draws me back to Paris time and time again. With all the magnificent places to go in the world… Why Paris? For me, it’s not the fashion scene or even the delicious food—although it is très magnifique! My list of loves grows each time I visit and it gets more and more simple.

There is a soul, a wonder, and a walkability to the City of Lights. She greets and hugs her inhabitants every step of the way with knowing statues and winking gardens. Markets filled with sensual aromas beckon each passerby to wander in and cafés invite us to stop and sit awhile. The City seems to glisten whether in sun or rain; at least in my eyes it does. I don’t know if it would be that way were I to live there every day. I’d certainly like to give it a try! In the meantime, I bring a little bit of Paris home with me to Seattle.

I take long walks every chance I get. I put my lipstick on and wrap a scarf around my neck before I leave the house. I play Camille on the stereo. I roast chicken and potatoes and share a glass of wine with a friend at lunch.

I walk to the grocery store and gather only what I can carry… Fresh bread. Cheese. Some fruit. Yogurt. I stroll Green Lake and walk to Sunset Hill. I stop, pause, and listen. I linger over espresso and have a treat from the pastry case, just because. I laugh with my friends and dance with my granddaughter. I say bonjour to budding blossoms and stroll in the rain.

I’m not  dreaming of la vie Parisienne, I am living this life, my life—the only one I have. I’m not waiting for next year or month or even the weekend. I choose to embrace now.

This past week my SoulStrolling pal Sharon Richards and I paused in the middle of a busy workday to indulge in an impromptu, leisurely lunch. We called another friend and invited her to meet us at Toulouse Petit, a restaurant new to each of us. Sharon and I arrived a wee bit early, parked the car a few blocks from the restaurant, and took a stroll.

We noticed whacky architecture, found a new park, climbed a steep hill, and inhaled the view. We laughed, giggled, and felt the spring sun on our faces. For a moment, I thought we might have lost the car (one wonderful thing to not worry about in Paris), but few things ever stay lost forever. We lingered over lunch with our friend and then we went back to the work we love.

We brought Paris home with each step of the way— steps filled with intention, love, and purpose.

Yes, there are often forks in the road. I invite you to take the one your heart desires… because if you listen deeply, with a heart aligned in love, even the raindrops will whisper, ‘Yes. Yes. Yes!’

I don’t have to be in Paris to feel life’s love. Paris has taught me how to live well wherever I am. SoulStrolling not rushing. Pausing not panicking. Choosing the second fork in the road. 

Which fork will you choose? If Paris is calling your name, then please consider joining Sharon Richards and me for SoulStrolling à Paris, October 2015.