Paris is one of the places that I only envisioned in my dreams. Like any young girl who is head over heels about falling in love, this place came to my mind. As a teen, I thought of Paris as a place where lovers meet or where you meet your lifetime partner. I used to even daydream about going there hanging a lock at one of the bridges around Seine River. Yes, I am a hopeless romantic in one part of my lifetime LOL
I really thought I would be visiting this place with my one true love, my husband. It hasn't happened yet though since I could not convince him to go without the kids hehehehe... But then the universe couldn't wait for me to visit this place, or maybe it is already so sick and tired listening to my thoughts of going there, so it gave me this once in a lifetime opportunity going there as a side trip to Croatia.
I visited the place with my two friends, Cris and Rachel. It isn't a romantic trip that I imagined years ago but being able to go with two people who constantly fill my energy with colors is great enough. Even if it is just a short trip, we are able to explore Paris and experience most of its grandeur.
The place isn't as spectacular as I thought it would be though, but nonetheless, the trip reminded me how beautiful life is. Traveling with friends allowed me to retrieve back myself, one that was buried deeply inside me and went hiding because I decided to raise a family.
By becoming a mother, I've had this dilemma of losing myself in the process. I ended up looking after the wellness of my kids and husband, neglecting to see that I do have needs as well. However, for the past 2 years, the pandemic allowed me to realize that I need to love myself first so I can provide the best care I could give to my family. Some would think I am being selfish doing this because that's what the society dictates. As a parent, you need to forget about yourself and give it all to your offsprings. I call that bullshit. I realized that the ideal situation would be to fill your cup first so it overflows enough to fill other people's cups. Loving yourself is not selfish, it is selfless, because you allow yourself to shine your light and bring light to others. You cannot pour enough love from an empty heart. So it should start from within you.
I am grateful to be able to see Paris and yes, it is still a place of love to me. Coming to this place allowed me to find love for myself once again. I guess the universe wanted me to go there to find love indeed. After almost a month away from my husband, I came back to my lover's arms with so much joy, gratefulness and love. My cup was overflowing and ready to share how beautiful life is with others.
La vie est belle!
