We're down to less than 2 weeks left in Paris. That's really odd to write and even odder to think about. When I think back on this semester and all that's happened, it's a whirl of emotions. There have been some really, really challenging days and weeks here. There have been some incredible weekends and weeks of vacationing and seeing more of our Father's world. There have been days when I felt like throwing in the towel completely and days when I felt like I couldn't make any mistakes. There have been periods of time when I couldn't focus long enough to spend more than 60 seconds in prayer and there have been times of dancing around my empty room in worship. Times when God seemed silent and times when I could hear Him as if He were physically beside me. There have been moments of deep longing to go home and moments when I was actually able to fully grab hold of the experience that I'm living. And now that we have only 2 weeks left here, I'm scared that I'm going to go back to Canada (all excited to see everyone and have things to back to normal) and then wish that I was still in Europe. How does one really bottle up a moment and not pass up the opportunity of the present?
The catch phrase this past week has been 'carpe diem' (seize the day - for those of you who have never watched 'Dead Poet's Society'). Why not go out to the Dutch store and buy a bunch of goodies? Why not get some face masks and wear them around like crazy-looking clowns? Why not do this, or that, and don't forget that other thing! Sara, Rachel and I were walking back from the metro last night after one of our glorious soirées chez Cheryl and Shailene with all of the girls. It was one of those perfect nights - it was warm with very little breeze, the crescent moon was shining full force, the sky was clear, the city of lights was ablaze, the streets were quiet and we could just barely pick out some stars amidst the light pollution (or was it an airplane, or a bird, or a helicopter? ;) ). We stood in the middle of our street and threw back our heads to look at one of the clearest night skies we've seen all semester. We thought of laying in the street like they do in 'The Notebook' and just enjoying it. There's something magical about times like that, when one of the busiest cities of life just stops for a moment and breathes ever so softly, when you can slow down for a moment and really appreciate the city that's around you, when you can take a deep breath and not smell cigarette smoke or sewers, when you can close your eyes and imagine all of the countless stars up there that you just can't quite see. How do you bottle up a moment like that? How do you make that last?
And then there's reality. Exams start next week. We're not overly worried about them, and yet we have no clue what to study for most of it. The French only make tests and exams out of 20, so our entire mark for our conference classes rests on 20 points. That's a little nerve-wracking, and yet it can't be that hard, right? We have a long weekend as well this weekend (not due to lovely Queen Victoria, but due to it being Pentecost Monday) and we've planning out study sessions. It's sunny outside right now and the park might just be the best place to study today..provided I don't get distracted. Because it's hard not to get distracted when you only have a fortnight to enjoy this place we've been calling home for the past 4 months.
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