It's All Relative

I'm stretched out listening to a wonderful selection of Sondheim on fantastic new Spotify, and musing over the last weekend, life and the various choices we make.

My aunt, uncle and parents came to visit this weekend; they have just left, and we had a really lovely time. I think it took some pressure off, having my aunt and uncle there as well, I didn't feel obliged to spend every single minute with my parents and I knew they were having a good time. Everything was a discovery for my aunt and uncle; they had been to Paris over 20 years ago on an organised tour and things were a lot different then.

Seeing my life through their eyes made me realise that first of all I'm so very lucky to live in such a beautiful city. Second, that even though I see going down to the market and getting choucroûte and a bit of nice bread for Sunday lunch as a bit of a chore, they see it as a fascinating adventure because it is in Paris, and everything is new and different.

I have to admit to eyeing Lola's non-stop world with a pair of green eyes from time to time, knowing that she is often out in the evenings with her scores of friends, enjoying 30°C heat most of the year, and being in such an exotic environment, but I rarely see my own life as particularly exciting.

Seeing my daily routine in the eyes of other people makes me realise that yes, Paris IS fascinating, it is big and it is jam-packed full of history and monuments. Crossing the square in front of the Hôtel de Ville is a route from A to B for me, but with my family it was a discovery of intricate architecture, amazing lighting and a busier public space than they had seen for months.

The dinner we enjoyed at Les Ombres was no less impressive. We had a table right at the front of the restaurant, looking over to the Eiffel Tower, that sparkled 9 times during our 3-hour tasting menu (my mum counted). The food really was delicious, the view spectacular and the evening extremely enjoyable.

What I'm saying is that everything is relative, some people live in a whirlwind, some in a calm breeze, but wherever you live it is important to appreciate your life for what it is, because so many people are so much worse off than you.