It is December. So to all I wish "Joyeux Fetes" or in other words "happy celebrations." The French have a lovely patience it seems. The streets are now decorated with christmas lights strung in the trees and at larger intersections. They went up near the end of November and then came on the night of Dec. 1. The fact that the lights weren't turned on actually makes me more excited about the coming celebration. At church I have been learning new words to the old christmas charols that I've known since I was young. It definately puts a different twist on life though when you walk into a French mall and hear a familiar deep voice slowly sing, "I'm dreaming of a white christmas..." Outside though the weather is either 40-55 degrees F and rainy or 35-50 and sunny. None the less the free ice skating rinks at Hotel de Ville and Tour Montparnasse invite people of all ages to slowly scrape and glide across the ice. It is December.
Today there was a young woman on the RER (the regional train) who was reading a book with the word memories in the title. She had light currly hair and a green scarf. As she read a smile spread across her face and stayed there. I got off at the end of the line and got on the bus. Shortly after the bus left the station seven minutes later we passed her as she walked down the sidewalk. From inside the bus, on the other side of the street, I could see a bit of the smile lingering on her face. And yes I do believe that life is that good.
