Ikigai Thought for Today: Paris is Always a Good Idea
How embracing the unexpected gave me one of the best days of my life.
Audio narration by David Marlow
I've had some pretty cool things happen to me that weren't things I worked for or even necessarily 'deserved.'
Over the weekend, watching highlights of this year’s Olympic Cycling in Paris reminded me of a time I was in the City of Lights for the finish of the ultimate cycling event, the Tour de France in 1997.
I had gone to France for work which was cool on its own, but while the rest of the team went home, I got to stay an extra day because of limited seats on available flights.
I wandered the streets of Paris, all expenses paid for a day without a care in the world. I took the train to what I thought was Versailles and ended up in a small village where the only person I could find was the station agent who didn't speak English.
Somehow, we managed to get me back to Paris. I left the following day just as the riders entered the city. It remains in my memory as one of my best and most free days.
A total embrace of the serendipity of the moment and something that just came along and was a great blessing.
✈️ Of course, my flight home nearly ended in a fiery crash landing, but that is a story for another day.
🌀Reflection:
What happens when we embrace the unexpected?
When we live in the moment, welcoming serendipity?
How might you add more opportunities for those moments?
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Okay, one - your voice is. so. incredible on audio narration. Holy cow.
Love this reflection. It’s when we become rigid with expectation that our ability to open to those moments squelches their possibility. That’s why I believe the perfect prayer is “amen”, or “so be it”.
It is in the whispers of life that we hear best. Small times as a youth when simply playing outside with friends was just fine and no trip to Disney was needed or in my case expected. We had weekends off and that was enough. I have traveled a bit and as you David liked when there was the quiet times and not the rush to do everything. I had an extra day after our group attended an Anthony Robbins 3 day seminar. The last day others left the day before and I was told it would ok to travel from Miami to Key West, stay over and return late the next day. I did and in a convertible...let's say it was memorable and still made my flight without incidence!