rêver v. faire

Bonjour readers, and bon dimanche! I am very contente to be here with you this morning. :)

I'm hoping to make up for a slow Fleur de St. Louis week last week with some fun posts in the coming weeks so stay tuned and check in when you can! 

In today's post, I am going to use two French verbs: rêver and faire. 

rêver - to dream - ("rev" like revving up an engine + "ay") - Try saying it with me: rêver

faire - to do - (just like if you were going to a fair) - Try saying it with me: faire

Dreaming v. doing. A concept very much at the heart of Fleur de St. Louis. How easy it is to dream of something wonderful off in the future without actually doing anything to achieve it in the present moment. 

A few weeks ago I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Happier. In the episode hosts Gretchen and Elizabeth were describing the concept of a virtual move. A listener wrote in and posed a very interesting question:

"If you could plan a virtual move, where would you move to? Would you choose somewhere with ever nice weather or seasons? Would you switch jobs? What activities or hobbies might you like to pick up in your new home? Would you want an apartment our a house?...In asking all these questions, you might find some things you'd like to change about your current life and if that's the case, why not do it right now in your current life?...We often wait for big catalysts to make life changes, but instead we should recognize that we are in charge of our own lives and happiness so we have the power to make any changes we want to in our lives."

In summary, why just rêver when you can faire? (I know my "franglais" or French + English is a little funny here but I think you get the idea.) 

I spend so much time dreaming of what my life would be like if I lived in Paris... my little clutter free, Parisian chic apartment, my slowed down pace, my leisurely walks in beautiful parks, my long and calm afternoons enjoying a coffee and people watching at a café... It's pure bliss. This is my happy place. 

But then I got to thinking. Why do these beautiful visions have to be dreams off in the future and just out of reach? Just as the listener suggested on the podcast, what can I do now to be in charge of my own happiness, to make the changes I want in my life right here where I am (even though I admit that I will still have dreams of Paris... it's unavoidable... for me Paris is pure magic). 

That said, I can absolutely make these things a part of my every day right here and right now. I spent yesterday trying this out. That dream of a leisurely stroll in a beautiful Parisian park? I can see one of the most beautiful parks in St. Louis from my bedroom window, yet I spend more time dreaming of Paris parks than I do taking advantage of those lovely walks right here. Yesterday I decided to faire. Tree lined paths with fall colors emerging? Views of beautiful historic architecture? Even a lone scattered chair (I'll explain why this caught my eye in a moment...)? It was all right here in my backyard. 

(Walking the trail at Forest Park in St. Louis)

 (Stunning view of the St. Louis Art Museum built for the 1904 World's Fair)

(When I saw this chair on the golf course I couldn't help but think of the scattered green chairs I saw in Paris' Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardin du Palais Royal.)

After my time in the park, I walked down to our neighborhood coffee shop (Kaldi's) where I sat outside enjoying the beautiful fall weather with a wonderful friend. There, I gave myself permission to slow down and savor the quality time she and I had together. Our conversation was rich and I spent my walk home to our little apartment (that is just as adorable as one we might have in Paris...) feeling connected and refreshed. 

It is so easy to rêver without the faire, to believe that you could have the life you dream of if only _____ (you fill in the blank). But maybe, just maybe, the life you dream of has been right in front of you all along if only you paused and reframed your thinking in order to see it.

What can you do today to turn your rêver into faire? Revel in the opportunity to discover what it is you seek right where you are in this moment.

Merci de mon coeur, thank you from my heart, for stopping by today on your Sunday. As I mentioned at the top of the post, stay tuned for more content with a little French flair. I've got a book review and more on the absolutely beautiful French language coming your way.

Warm wishes from me to you,

Inspiration de la semaine (inspiration of the week):

⚜A podcast with a little French flair, The Earful Tower with Oliver Gee is one any francophile should definitely check out!

⚜This week I have been reading this lovely Paris inspired book. Click the cover to learn more.

⚜Sling offers a French TV package that I am very excited about! I haven't yet subscribed but it is absolutely something I am looking into as a resource to continue to strengthen my French.