Here we are my dear readers. I am sharing with you live from the beautiful Richelieu site of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris. It is the 19th of July, 2024. Il fait chaud aujourd'hui. This enchanting, old library, built in 1721, just recently celebrated its 300th anniversary. I am sat in the Salle Ovale, the library's second largest room, which is free to access for all and where I have been spending quite some time throughout the past two months. I have always loved the peace and quite that you can find in these type of libraries. A place of stillness, that elicits a clarity, focus and calm which I have rarely experienced in other places. There is something incredibly grounding about historical places like these. I feel propelled right into the present moment. It's almost as if being so tangibly surrounded by history, creates a heightened state of awareness of what is right now. In this very moment.
I feel inspired. It is one of my last few days in Paris and I couldn't be more grateful. What an absolute dream come true my time here has been. Countless moments of bliss and magic. New, unforgettable memories made for a life time. It has been in the true sense a reawakening. I have come to life again. But more about this another time. This piece of writing is about what I am doing here right now. Writing and to my own surprise: sharing.
Lately, I have been feeling this overwhelming urge to write. At first, I brushed it off and thought it may suffice to just journal a bit more. But I can't help it, here it is again - a compelling feeling to write. I have had this before, but this time it feels different. I am not only feeling compelled to write, but also to share. Or at least write as if I were to share.
So this very desire to share is what brought me here. Typing on my laptop in the middle of the night. No AI, no agenda, just me typing and sharing what comes to my mind. Original content - unfiltered, unstructured. It feels messy, but somehow fun and satisfying. I am intrigued. I don't have much writing experience, but this feels very different from journaling. It is as if I write for a reader, an audience in mind. Do you know that little voice in your head when you read a book, which reads the book outloud to you? This is what it feels like. I can hear you read these words. That's how the words were meant when they came to me. Meant to be shared. Unlike journaling, where I have never experienced the desire to share any of my writing. If anything, it's the exact opposite. Journaling provides an emotional outlet to me. A release. A deeply personal release, raw, intimate and vulnerable. In that sense, it has a clear function and serves a purpose. It's much more inward. Whereas this here, what I am doing right now doesn't serve any specific purpose. Writing for the sake of writing. An intention to share, but that's pretty much it. I do enjoy though typing these words. And following my own train of thoughts and feelings that accompany this experience. I will continue this and I am excited how this new journey will unfold. So far, it has already brought me some joy :)
So here we go - here it is - my first tiny, piece of writing - released into the world.
A bientot my dear readers. I shall see you very soon again 💫🌷