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I received an email from my Maman this morning, just before I rose to start another mundane day. Where she lives in the warm part of France, the first month of spring is ending and daylight savings started two days ago.
I can picture what my Maman sees as she enjoys her lunch from her enclosed terrace. A perfect azure-blue coloured sky, as another fresh morning rolls into a beautiful warm day.
Two sides of the terrace are covered with the greenest bushes and vibrant new flowers bloom, as the season continues to awaken from its wintry hibernation.
The view of the pastures down the hill is breathtaking. Like an ocean of green, which only moves with a rare strong breeze.
On some days, the first few hours start with a thick mist that blankets the pasture in its entirety. As if my Maman is living above the clouds in a kingdom of her own.
Within an hour or two, the mist quickly rolls back out, like a slow tide. The darkness below, now bleaching out with the warming rays of the sun.
In my Maman's email, she tells me during lunch:
The thoughts left me feeling pretty darn scared. Millions of people everyday around the world make a sea change to start fresh in a new country, usually for the better. Some choose it, some need it and some don't have a choice.
Regardless, it's a pretty scary thought... the idea of calling France home. Stepping outside my comfort zone into the unknown. A difficult feat for a stereotypical creature of habit like myself.
My level of fear increases at the thought of what kind of experience and potential trauma my two cats would go through on the flight over. Thankfully countries in Europe don't require a pet to be held in isolation by quarantine authorities upon entering a country. As long as the pet is chipped, given an anti rabies vaccination and had a European Union approved lab analysis for rabies antibodies. Otherwise your pet is sent back to where you came from.
Then I realise... it doesn't have to be now. Who knows what my situation will be like in ten years time. Or even 15! Which gives me plenty of time to work on my French.
As a result of re-framing my fear and uncertainty, it doesn't seem anywhere as daunting.
I can imagine one day when I finally become a successful writer, hopefully as both an author and script writer, I won't have to worry about my finances. The new scene and a fresh start could do wonders for my writing and creative projects!
Every beautiful day, as well as the one day of the year it snows, will be worth enjoying more than ever. Some days and nights get quite cold where my Maman lives but the occasional wood fire cracking out a toasty heat would be a welcomed luxury. Or for environmental purposes, a gas-fuelled imitation fireplace.
Enjoying the comfort of the scene as I sit down to write pages after pages of well-crafted words that sell a good story.
Hopefully my boyfriend will happily share that dream or perhaps my clichéd 'soul mate' will appear once I make the move.
It's funny how suddenly re-framing a situation or dilemma makes the perspective change for the better. Like thinking outside the box, in order to view it differently.
Who knows what the future holds now!