Hi Friend
I’m sitting on a train going from CDG airport to downtown Paris where I’m going to spend 3 days with my daughter. I flew into Madrid last night, after spending a 10-hour layover in Amsterdam. That place is amazing! By the end of the day I had 23k steps. I didn’t know that Amsterdam was the cycling capital of the world. There are bikers everywhere!!
I also didn’t know that they had canals emanating out from the river. It was so incredibly cool. I’d seen enough pictures to know I’d love the architecture… and I did. I didn’t know about the bikes. It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Soooooo many riders and soooooo many parked bikes. It was wild and fun. Next time I go, I’ll rent one for the day and cover a lot more ground.
The cobblestone and brick streets were rather fabulous as well. It’s one of the characteristics of the city that makes it feel historically cool. There also is a gathering of museums in a concentrated area. I couldn’t get tickets for the Van Gogh. The Rijksmuseum was huge, but I decided to skip it. The city itself was fascinating enough; I’d rather walk around it.
(8 hours after that last paragraph)… This is abrupt, but I just got back from another 23,000 steps, this time around Paris. Lainey and I are staying at a fabulous Airbnb above a restaurant north of the city. We got here at 4p and returned around 9:30p. I am wiped. We saw a ton. Tomorrow we are going to the Louvre and Eiffel Tower. Getting all the touristy stuff done in one day, will be nice.
WALK-ABOUT
I like going for a walk, not knowing where it’s headed. Pick a direction, go and observe along the way what jumps out. It’s contrary to following google maps directions, which I also love doing when I want to get somewhere as soon as possible. They both offer a freedom. No map and just eyes, lets you be present in every moment. The map with a destination lets us trust if we’ll just do what it says, we will get to where we want to be!
Human nature gravitates towards the map. Having everything worked out with definitive answers creates security. It also eliminates exploration. Lainey and I walked down so many streets because “that looks cool.” Are you currently locked so tightly into a map, that you might be missing some really cool things going on around you?
ICONS
The other locations I have navigated are airports and train stations. I couldn’t have gotten to where I needed to be without signs/images of where I was wanting to go.
Navigating life can be hard. Every day we wake up, it’s one we’ve never lived before. Most of us have routines, habits and flow that create a consistent normalcy. We also get thrown for a loop or two regularly. It’s what keeps life exciting – the unexpected challenges that seem to thwart our forward motion.
What are signs we notice in those times that keep us going in the right direction? I had to go up and down escalators a few extra times because I just couldn’t figure out how to get where I wanted to go. Locating the visual indicators led me to an iconic experience.
Instigating Ideas…
1. What adventures await you that you should go for?
2. Where do you need to abandon the map?
3. What signs indicate you are going in the right direction?
My apologies if this week’s letter is a bit fragmented. It’s been written at three different times. This morning, I am in our Airbnb drinking some coffee I made in a French-press, which seems deeply satisfying.
I’m super grateful I have the time and resources to be here with my daughter. I’m fully aware this is a Great Adventure I don’t want to take for granted or miss a moment of. Though, honestly, I feel like my entire life is that… it just so happens I’m in Europe experiencing it now. Your life is a Great Adventure as well.
CARPE DIEM
How appropriate to conclude with a foreign language phrase that is so embedded in our culture, Seize.The.Day. Look around, let go, pay attention to the signs and venture forward. Too many people are stuck in a place of fear, excuses and timidity. I wish for you, faith, daring and boldness.
I hope this week you go on a walk-about or two, experiencing the present fully and being open to new surprises. There are indicators about the path you are on, I hope you notice them as well.
PS. You can find more pics and fun on my Instagram. Let’s connect there too.
