Today is the last full day I have in Ardeche… so I prepare my suitcases once again. As with every time I leave, it makes me reflect. What do I want to keep in my life? What do I want to give away? Every place I go gives me a chance to observe others and therefore reflect on what it is that I want for my life. What I can say so far, is that I need fewer and fewer things each time. What I really need, is the value that these things give me, and a way to share that value with others.
Travelling has helped me discover what I value. Lessons on how to enjoy life even more than I already have been… memories of shared conversations, shared special moments. Whatever I have, will eventually be refined down to these important things. Of course, I will always carry a little more baggage than I need. Even though we try to enjoy the present moment, we can’t help but live in the past a little and consider the future too. We don’t have to be a monk who meditates all day, there are many ways we can enjoy living now, what we have lived and what we will live.
My little recipe book for example, helps me to enjoy the past, present and the future. This time, I sat at the kitchen table copying my friend’s home recipe and discussing it with her in French. The pot was bubbling softly as we sat at the table, she appeared unstressed about whether the food would be overcooked or not. I guess she has made this dish many times. She patiently took the time to explain everything to me, and I learned a lot of new words. She even walked around the kitchen, showing me the things that she couldn’t explain properly. There was not even a hint of irritation, it seemed like a real pleasure. Not only did I learn new words in French, but I also learned the simplicity behind the culture in this region and we had a lot of laughs in the process. There I was, writing words that I would later be able to eat. I like words because of that reason… words send messages.
You can transform words into things that can be enjoyed: a beautiful meal, a gift, a letter. If you can read and understand what’s being said, then words can change your life. Words give you the freedom to direct your own film in your mind. To cast your own actors, add in your own music and feel any emotion that transports you to another world. Words appear to be solid but in actuality they are vague and malleable, allowing your own interpretation. Words have saved countries and touched people’s lives because of the hidden messages carried within them.
It’s true that words are only one way to express yourself, but it’s the way that I have chosen. They move as beautifully as any dancer, and paint a picture as expressive as any artist. The thing I love about writing is that even the same words, read twice, can appear to be different. In the future, I might read this journal or my cookbook and discover something different. Maybe I’ll remember the layers of memories each page carries, after every time I have revisited it.
In addition to the basic needs of life, I also need words. When I do not have an instrument to play, or an array of pastels to colour, I know that I have my hands, my pen, my paper and my story. Little markings that can be shared simply and easily, without much time or effort, but with a lot of impact. That’s why when I travel, I always carry my words with me. Words can change your life, I know that they’ve changed mine.
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