Paris! (And the associated sights.)
Scottish word of the week: Ceildh: n. a traditional Scottish dance party. Dancing is accompanied by violin, piano, and bass. Pronounced Kee-lay.
Pictures of the week/Question of the week:
WITH OR WITHOUT THE HAT?
OR
(It's only a rolled up piece of paper... :) )
What I've been up to - in bullet points
Wednesday
- Enjoying another triple of lectures in the morning
- Trudging to Foresterhill for another Personal Tutorial
- Practicing the piano
- Discovering at Choral Society that in order to sing in the concert you need to have black shoes, socks, trousers, vest, dinner jacket, and bow tie to complement a white oxford. I have none of these.
- Enjoying yet another Hitchcock film: Rear Window.
- Planning Paris!
- Running (yes, literally running!) to the train station
- Flying out of Edinburg to Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Riding up the Eiffel Tower
- Enjoying a wee cup of coffee in a Cafe
- Gaping at Versailles, the golden palace of Louis XIV, the sun king
- Strolling through the gardens of Versaille
- Visiting Mona and Venus in the Lourve
- Listening to An American in Paris whilst being an American in Paris on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur
- Wandering through the Latin Quarter
- Pondering beneath the original casting of The Thinker by Rodin
- Checking out Napoleon's Tomb
- Sitting quietly in Notre Dame
- Shuffling around mounds of books in Shakespeare and Co.
- Listening to Chopin being performed live in Paris
- Relaxing in another cafe...with another wee cup of coffee
- Relaxing with Australians in the hostel
- Walking down the Champs d'Elysees
- Standing beneath the Arc d'Triomphe
- Snapping photos of Moulin Rouge
- Flying back to Scotland!
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: IMPRESSIONS OF PARIS!
I've already shared what I've done - now I'm going to share what I thought.
The entire city is beautiful. Streets are clean, boulevards are well kept, sidewalks are clear. A sense of ease pervades - cafes are on every corner, people lean up against buildings to smoke cigarettes, and lovers sit together on park benches. Gliding through the city is the Seine, along which temporary photography exhibits stand next to more permanent museums. Sculptures of stone and metal watch over the city - St. Michael vanquishes demons and Louis XIV oversees his dominion. As the lights in the sky fade the lights of the city come to life, casting a warm glow on the stone buildings.
This dream, Paris, floats above a high octane motor which is also Paris. The Metro crashes as it arrives. Cars honk. Tourists camera flashes go off. Shop keepers yell to advertise their prices. Mopeds zoom by.
The heart of Paris is neither new nor old. Double decker buses drive by the cornerstone of Notre Dame, and the Mona Lisa is protected by a wall of bullet-proof glass. Old and new are (and have been for quite some time) happily married, and the result is an incredible city - Paris.
Random section of the week - I'll be naïve until I'm 95
I may have lost 65 euro over the weekend.
I'm disappointed, yes, but if given the chance I would do so again. This may seem foolish, but allow me to explain. Only at the end of the story pass judgment on my actions.
On Friday night I was walking around in Montemarte, which is by the base of the Sacré-Coeur. Out of the blue a man wearing a red Ferrarri hat asked me, "Do you speak English?". "Yes", I replied. After hearing my reply, he desperately told me his story.
He is a Jew from Motreal, Canada, and had just arrived in Paris with his girlfriend. When she went to withdraw money from an ATM the machine "ate the card", losing their only source of money . In order to stay in their hotel for one night, they had to pay a bill of 65 euro. He contacted the Canadian counsulate and they said that they couldn't do anything for him until the next day. If they couldn't pay the bill, they couldn't stay the night.
What he was asking me to do was to withdraw 65 euro from an ATM to lend to him, which he would pay back the next day outside of Notre Dame at 9 p.m. I was initially very skeptical, but as I heard his story I began to feel compassion for the man. To me it seemed that there was no lie in his eyes. He even said that (being a Jew) he would swear on the Torah. I explained to him that I am a Christian, and that I would trust him. I agreed and we walked towards the ATM.
In order for the exchange to be made, I initially demanded collateral. After all, I had met the man only ten minutes ago. He had on a nice, silver watch, which I suggested that he give to me. I gave him the money, and he reluctantly gave me the watch (his girlfriend had given it to him a year ago) and we parted ways. As I walked away with his watch in my pocket, something stirred inside of me. I turned around and gave him back the watch, saying, "I trust you." We parted ways and I walked back to my hostel, he to his hotel.
The next day at Notre Dame I arrived at 8:45 p.m. and stayed until 9:30. For 45 minutes I stood shivering under a light post right in front of the cathedral. He did not show up. I walked back through the Parisian night alone.
------------------------
As I walked back through the cold I was upset. I had shown kindness, maybe even mercy, by withdrawing the money for him - a complete stranger. I demanded nothing of him in return; I gave him my trust. I simply trusted that his word was his bond; I trusted that he would meet me at nine sharp outside of Notre Dame and that I would be repaid.
There are too many thoughts that I have had about the situation to post on the blog, but I will leave you with my conclusion to the matter.
I WILL BE NAÏVE UNTIL I'M 95
To deny that people are selfish, greedy, and sinful is delusional. Taking even a brief glimpse at newspapers and TV sets confirms this: in my lifetime Madoff stole billions, Enron duped the Wall Street, and the Credit Crunch have all occurred. And these are only the big scams - countless robberies and scandals have taken place that haven't been on the news. People cut in line, receive but fail to give, and act only in their own interest. When such a portrait is painted optimism seems to fail. Is it worth placing faith in people?
This was the question that was running through my mind as I walked back through the cold night, and is a question that I will continue to think about. My answer to the question may change in twenty years, but I dearly, even desperately hope that it won't.
I believe in people. I will continue to believe in people, even after being wronged. I will continue to believe that if I treat them the way that they should be treated, which is the way that Christ would treat them, that they will act in the way that they are supposed to act. I believe that it is the few bad apples that we hear about and we don't hear enough of the good. I believe that I will be let down time and time again, for people are sinful.
My belief in people may have cost me 65 euro, but that is a price that I'm willing to pay. In fact, I'd be willing to pay more. Faith in people is worth far more to me than money. (For that matter, what is money? It is simply a means to an end, not a god. No, it does not grow on trees, but not having it isn't the end of the world.)
The cost of the alternative, to me, is much more terrible. Looking at the world through cold, hardened eyes is something that I never want to do. When I look at a stranger I will continue to believe that they have a spark of goodness inside - that they can and will act unselfishly. I believe that what we need to do, as Christians, is show them how to act in such a manner.
What is to say that the man was at a different spot at Notre Dame and we simply missed each other? What is to say that he meant 9 a.m., not 9 p.m.? What is to say that extenuating circumstances kept him from making it there on time? And if he was a con artist, what if he saw that there is a different way? What is to say that he did not experience grace? In the worst of all possible situations he was a completely consciousless person that ripped me off and had no second thoughts. If this was the case I truly pity the man.
Looking back I am proud of the way that I conducted myself. If given the chance, I would do the same thing yet again. You may call me foolish; you may call me vain; but I have been and always will be an incurable optimist. Whatever the personal costs, I plan on being naïve until I'm 95.
Anyways, that's all for now.
Cheers!
John, You have a good heart. This is a great meditation on the spiritual life. Rather than label you condition "naive," I would call it a case of the "rad-ob-s." Radical obedience Syndrome. That's when you do something because you are prompted by the Spirit of Jesus (who is, by the way, intent on guiding us to be like Jesus in some way) to do act in a radical way at a particular moment, but the outcome of your obedience is not clear. Remind me to tell the story of a certain pair of running shoes I gave to a homeless man once. At least you had a majestic cathedral in which to ponder your possible hornswoggling! Blessings, Pastor Chris DeVos
ReplyDeleteDear John,
ReplyDeleteYou have such a wonderful heart. You may be "naive" but we all are. I have given to people and ponder those same questions. But you were following your heart and guided by the Holy Spirit. God smiled. Perhaps the man will think about you and your faith. Maybe you were called to plant a seed in his heart. We'll never know. We love you and miss you and hope that care package arrives very soon.
Love
Aunt Lynne and Uncle Kevin
Uncle Kevin gave a man gas money just a few weeks ago. (The man had a great story). The next day I saw the same man, in the same place, probably giving the same story. But we had a ask ourself WWJD.
dear john-SCHOLAR, MUSICIAN,ATHLETE,TRAVELER, WRITER, GENEROUS PHILOSOPHER--- WE LOVE YOU!LAST YEAR ON A BUS TRIP GRAMPA AND I GAVE A FEW DOLLARS TO A MAN ON A STREET CORNER BECAUSE HE SAID HE NEEDED A FEW DOLLARS FOR LUNCH AT A HOSPITAL LUNCH ROOM. I CONFESS, HOWEVER , OUR HEARTS MAY NOT HAVE STRETCHED AS GENEROUSLY AS YOURS. WHO KNOWS? HAD YOU NOT GIVEN HIM THE MONEY , HE MAY HAVE MUGGED YOU . THEN YOU COULD HAVE BEEN HURT PHYSICALLY AS WELL AS EMOTIONALLY. DOESN'T THAT SOUND LIKE A G AND G ASSESSMENT?--- YOUR COMMENTS ON PARIS WERE SPECIAL. WE REMEMBER SEEING MANY OF THE SAME SPOTS. I WISH I COULD DESCRIBE THEM AS POETICALLY. LOVE, G AND G
ReplyDeleteDear John,
ReplyDeleteI think we need to PRAY for the man you met outside the cathedral of NotreDame. I am going to pray that the Spirit of Jesus in you will simply hound this man. I am praying this unnamed person may remember the tall, red headed American young man who extended compassion, grace and kindness. I am praying that he will THINK about the God you serve. I am praying he will FIND the God you serve and ACCEPT the grace and compassion Jesus gives. Everything happens for a reason. This incident may have very big repurcussions in this man's life, yet you may never know. Thanks for sharing your heart with us. KEEP BEING YOU.
As to the HAT/NO HAT: Of course, I vote for the hat MINUS whatever is in your mouth. Call me NAIVE, but I hope it's just a rolled up piece of paper. It seemed to me that you had a jaunty expression wearing the hat. That mystical allure seemed to be missing without the hat.
Love to you, dear nephew. Your mother just arrived so I must sign off.
aunt patricia
It was a rolled up piece of paper. :)
ReplyDeleteWITH THE HAT!!
ReplyDeleteyou look totally awesome!!
sounds like you're having a great time!! :)
It's nice to check up on you once in a while on here!!
-Lydia
Hi, John.
ReplyDeleteI have sundry family members urging me to check out your blog. (I didn't know you were keeping one until last week.) I love your flair for writing personal narratives. Love the story. I wish I had your generosity of spirit. Hmmm. Maybe teaching high school students for 14 years has made me a little cynical...? Nah. More likely my total depravity. :)
I've been checking out your pics on Facebook. I must say, you don't look like a high school kid anymore. I vote for without the hat.
Love the pics with your mom in London, too. Wish I could do college over again and take a semester abroad. How amazing. The history and architecture would keep me dazzled for a long time. At Westminster Abbey did you see the Stone of Scone under the British coronation throne? I love the history between Queen Mary (of Scots) and Queen Elizabeth also. I read an awesome biography of the two. I think it was called Queens Elizabeth and Mary, or some such eponymous title.
Glad you're savoring life.
Mrs. A