Too Much Pretty?

Last weekend we took a drive out into the countryside and I was struck. By how beautiful everyday living can be in Southern France. On the other hand, last night I went out for a drink with several other Canadians and we were discussing the end of our respective year here in Aix-en-Provence. The other two women live closer to downtown Toronto and were saying that they had enough of Pretty. They were ready for a little more urban grit, a little less bourgeoisie. And I sat there quietly. Maybe I am just that much more suburban. Maybe I am just a bit more content with a smaller lot in life. It doesn’t much matter. Call me Pollyanna, and not Sid Vicious! I still find myself caught by surprise at the way the light hits the side of a building as I walk by. I still am filled with wonder at the ruined architecture that dots the roadsides on a trip through the country-side. I was just stunned at the simple beauty and strong color of a field filled with poppies. And I was inwardly ecstatic to notice that the lavender bushes near the hospital are just about to come into bloom. We missed seeing the fields of blooming lavender last year, although we saw them with full foliage, and full scents. On most car rides, and train rides as well, I make the sounds of the animals that we pass by. Because they charm me. Another non-urban thing that has benefitted my family has been the lack of structure to our weekly existence. Whereas in Toronto my family has lots of activities and people that pull us into lots of different directions, here in Aix-en-Provence our lives have been much simpler. The boys have activities on Tuesday, and for awhile we had a second activity on Thursday. This was due partly to the later release time from school, partly to the fact that we wanted to decompress from all of the busy-ness of our city life. And it also helps that we know fewer people, so we can structure our time in a way that goes a bit more with the flow, with fewer social obligations. Between the beauty and the time to enjoy it, I feel like my soul has been filled. My mind feels less cluttered, my motivation to explore our environs is higher, and I think my overall happiness level with my family can be labeled as quite contented. When I shared this with Ed he pointed out that there always seems to be a new way to see something here. The shadows are always changing, the turns in the road are always leading to new views, and the juxtaposition of old and new leads to ever-novel opportunities for reflection. I am very much looking forward to many aspects of my life back in Toronto, not the least of which are all my friends and the comfort of my own home surrounded by all of the choices that Ed and I have made over the years. But one thing that I will miss, above all else, is the charm and beauty of my daily surroundings. The wonder of the unexpected, stemming from the quaintness of antiquity.