On Slowing Down

Yesterday, after my French class, I got my cafe creme from the same guy in the metro station at La Defense for a little afternoon boost. After I added a bit of sugar, he informed me that he had no lids, to which I responded, "c'est pas grave" (it's not a big deal). And I didn't think it would be.

But it was.

First of all, I can barely carry a cup of coffee around my 10 square meter apartment without spilling it somewhere. Second of all, anyone who has ever walked any distance with me knows I walk fast...even by Parisian standards. I have been known to leave people in the dust through airports, metro stations and everywhere in between. It's something I really need to work on because I think people tend to get the wrong idea and take my walking speed as an insult and think that I don't want to walk with them. Not the case. But anyone who lived in far dorms at Culver can attest to the fact that if you wanted to maximize your nap time during a free period, you had to have a walking speed close to that of an Olympic speed walker in order to make it to photography on time.

So here I am with a full cup of coffee, attempting to catch the metro in the equivalent of Union Station. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of going to DC, imagine a metro station has just merged with an Amtrak station which has given birth to a shopping mall. Bam. That's the La Defense station.

That being said...I was forced to walk PAINFULLY slow. This was such a challenge. Especially because I was being passed on either side by lots of people, which was just making my self esteem take a hit (I really didn't want people to think I couldn't keep up with Parisian walking standards). After what felt like 3 years, I made it to the train and found a seat where I could now enjoy the beverage I had worked so hard to transport.

I know this all sounds rather dramatic but it taught me a good lesson. SLOW. DOWN. Not that the La Defense station is a place to see the sights, but it made me realize there is no rush to go anywhere. It is also the end of metro line so the train always sits on the platform for a few minutes...and another train will be along in 2 minutes if you miss the first one. In general, I've been swept along by the Parisian pace of everything. I walk so fast, even when I'm not pressed for time, that I'm sure I miss lots of interesting things. With my last 5 months here (yes, today I am officially halfway done with my working time in Paris), I want to make an effort to slow down. I want to actually see more, not just walk past more. I want to take the time to enjoy where I am, whether it be a cafe, restaurant or coloring with my kids. I want to focus less on getting from point A to point B and pay attention to everything in between.

So, if you want to slow down and actually see things around you, carry around a cup of hot beverage with no lid. I promise you will not be tempted to walk fast. And if you try to, you will look very silly and end up with a burned and probably sticky hand (unless your name is Katherine and you enjoy drinking hot water in which case you will just have a burned hand). Try it. Seriously...let me know what you see. 

Bois de Boulogne on a snowy day