A series of essays….
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COLLIOURE, FRANCE: THE MERGING OF A GENTLE LIFE OF SAND, SEA, AND A PLEASANT, MUCH SLOWER PACE OF LIFE |
….as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E Hughes
Dream Job: a position that combines an activity, skill or passion with a moneymaking opportunity. It can be exciting and glamorous, like acting or playing music, or it can be prestigious and high-paying like working as a doctor or lawyer.
Or…,
Yesterday there was sun and there was rain; beauty in the mundane. Something in the air; let it shimmer on our skin.
I’m glad I let the sun shine in today. I’m trying to make the darkness go away. I’m gonna try to spread my wings so I can fly.
…it can be a happy, loving medium that fills your heart with the wonders of simple peace and satisfaction. And, that’s exactly what I am seeking.
I’ve been asking myself appropriate questions that help me to pull deep down inside my gut, my soul, and take me on a long twisting ride down a path that suits my personality, sensitivity, and mental processes. Shall I leave behind the fast paced world of daily schedules and the time controlling aspects of a modern lifestyle? Making lists of where I fit in; adjusting to a healthier existence as I correct my past utilizing an outline for the future.
Dream… I choose to dream about things that cater to a simple life. A life soft and gentle enough, yet sustainable for myself and the environment. A life filled with wonderment and kindness where I can question the existence of the dynamic clouds and learn to accept their purpose as they roil and become shape-changers within their magical presence overhead.
Why does the sky sometimes hide behind the clouds? Maybe it’s just like me a little bit scared of heights. It really makes me wonder. Yes, it really makes me wonder.
Why do the trees get undressed when it’s cold? Don’t they miss the leaves they left behind? Could it be to make the ground shine like gold until the winter comes? It really makes me wonder.
One part of my extensive notes and the potential answer to many of my questions — amazes me! For some unknown reason I have learned to place corresponding scents from inanimate objects into realtime and virtually immediately. Simply, the power of suggestion, or could this be part of the magic of living the life of an empath all these years? The residuals from being a good listener?
I am sensitive to emotions and tend to pick-up on other aspects of the environment. I’ve always been prone to reading the needs of others. Lately, I’ve become more aware of sights, sounds, smells, and other physical sensations that others might not notice. A paper rose can come alive with its scent inhaled as if recently cut from the garden. Noises easily become distractions with the exception of classical music and soft piano compositions.
So, I sit here, nestled among the pillows on my comfortable, tapestry covered chair, contemplating, questioning, and planning out the shortest term of my life; the final chapters of this living novel that will be my personal take on what has been, what is, and what will be — The End!
The dream job I would choose to see me through the final chapters would take me to a small Provençal hill-top village in France. The names of all of the villagers are well known and I will smile and greet everyone on my way to the Boulangerie for croissants and baguettes each morning. After my petit-déjeuner, and grabbing my keys from the console table, I will head over to the area flea markets and brocantes (shops having more specialized items) to find simple gems of pottery, glass, wood furniture, paintings, and so much more, that I plan on displaying in my own Brocante I will run out of my home.
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LIVING IS SHARING PRESSED COFFEE, PASTRIES, AND GENTLE CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE YOU LOVE |
The thrill of the hunt is always exciting, and Dan and I will be driving into Lyon tomorrow and then up to Paris to find some larger items to add to my little shop. Along the way, we will meet some of the sweetest people (and possible new friends) while stopping for snacks, filling-up the van with gas, and speaking with those sitting near us while enjoying lunch at a small village café. I am never at a loss for words and find myself totally receptive to a sweet smile or act of kindness.
Driving our new finds home through small villages and stopping at more flea markets, the van full to the metal ceiling, we arrive home to unload the goodies that will be cleaned, possibly painted as display cases for the items in the shop. No time schedules to impede my freedom. My only concern is which kind of homemade jam to slather on a slice of buttered baguette to eat with our afternoon tea.
Mild breezes brush the skin with the kindness of a mother’s touch. The new, green leaves imitate her fingertips with bent branches swaying; Love is in the air and It makes me wonder.
Gentleness is not passive; it requires resistance to brutality. Must hard times hover over our daily routines? Must we wait to slow down the pace only when gray begins to streak our heads? It really makes me wonder.
Here’s to passion and compassion, dreaming about dream jobs, writing our latest chapters, leaving beautiful surprises to discover along life’s path, and loving so deeply all that Mother Nature has so kindly gifted us along our way. And, may we always make time to slow down the pace of life long enough to enjoy it all.
Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes
All rights reserved
Photos Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes
All rights reserved
