Leave the boxes blank. It's okay.

I’m riding the TGV through the French Countryside to Lyon. It’s a 2 hour ride. A great time for me reflect on the past few days in Paris, pretty much alone.

Every night, I have written out a schedule of what I will do the next day. Not once have I actually followed that schedule and I’m totally okay with that. At home we have schedules to make sure we follow other schedules. It was today that I slowed down, threw my cheat sheet away and just let the day lead me.

My body wandered from city to city and my mind followed suit. I felt an ease. I felt lighter. I felt like me avant beaucoup de schedules. I turned down random streets and found views that took my breath away, window displays that made me want to jump in there and join the mannequins. I entered buildings to be surprised by levels of nothing but shopping goodness. I walked by a mirror and realized I had found the most important thing. Me.

There I was.

Of course when there’s 5 people involved, schedules are a bit necessary. I had a thought while watching so many people stop at the flower stands to buy or admire all of the colors and textures. I’m certain their minds wandered through every flower and the stresses of their schedules took a huge step back. Think about it. Even a 10 minute break in the pantry provides a bit of sanity some days. Add in chocolate or a pack of fruit snacks and it’s next level.

Maybe we pack so much in our schedules because if we have idle time we think we are wasting the day. We tell our selves that there is always something we can be doing. I’m sure that’s true, but it’s not healthy for any of us. Maybe we need to reconsider some of the things we squeeze in those little boxes on the calendar and when we see empty space just let it be.

I will be accessing our schedules at some point when I get home with the whole family. I will find time for myself and my family to just take a look at the flowers.

*pictured: no flowers at all. I was watching and experiencing.