A Change of Scenery
Sometimes the cure for feeling lost is simply to wander somewhere new. Change the scenery. Get on a different wavelength.
Montpellier, France
Walking the historic streets of Montpellier, I found myself slowing down enough to notice everything: the centuries-old architecture, the fountains tucked into quiet squares, the effortless beauty woven into everyday life. It was unusually warm by European summer standards, though I have a feeling heat waves like this will become increasingly common as our planet continues to warm.
Air conditioning isn't really a thing there. Neither is ice in your drinks. Sweat rolled down my back as I wandered the sun-soaked sidewalks in 95-degree heat and humidity. Somehow, though, I didn't mind. I was exactly where I wanted to be.
It did leave me wondering how people survive living in places like Florida during the summer. Then again, they have air conditioning. I'm sure, like anything, you get used to it. Much the same way Arizonians casually refer to 110 degrees as "a dry heat."
It's not as though this trip magically solved all of my problems. If anything, it left me with more questions than answers. But it gave me the shift I desperately needed. Sometimes changing your physical surroundings is enough to interrupt the mental loops you've been stuck replaying.
The past few years have been difficult for reasons I'll save for another day. But somewhere between missed trains, cobblestone streets, and mornings spent ordering coffee in another language, I started to recognize someone I'd been missing.
Myself.
Not all who wander are lost.
xo, LC
Vibe with Me LC 