FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

One of my current guiding principles is : do what is best next. And 'move at the pace of God's grace. ' what I like about your application was how you discerned the purpose of the outing and when it was for the joy of someone else, the perceived pressure to come up with a creative costume fell away.

bonjour, Kristin

great and perceptive piece as always. i think our purpose is as you say: lead a good life and celebrate the joys of others. have a fun evening!

and share those expletives with us one day! they could come in handy in dealing with french and swiss bureaucracy!

cheers,
greg

Thanks so much for taking the time to write your blog. I was happy to hear that someone else feels the same way about going to parties and engaging in small talk! I pick PJs any day of the week!! I hope you were able to "faire de son mieux".

As the author Kate Morton said to me at her book signing yesterday, all we can do is try. She was speaking about writing, but truly, it applies to many other situations in life. I considered how exhausting a book tour can be to an introvert writer, yet there she was, perfectly gracious and charming, beaming warmly at each person who approached her for a moment of attention. Like you, I would love to sit at home and avoid parties, but I find that when I make a point to show up and be the best version of myself, life continues to flow, gently pulling me along on its waves. We always have a choice to change directions and swim toward the shore at any point when we feel we've had enough, for now. I believe and trust that life will always continue to take care of us. All we have to do is show up and do our best. Have a fabulous time at the soiree!

Great disguise, "James Blond", and a perceptive take on social obligations. Interesting to read how many of us do not really look forward to parties and small talk ("what do you think of my longer hair?), but when we get there it usually turns out that we meet someone fascinating or learn something worth knowing. If not, as Katia said, we can always swim for shore. And to Greg, the French administration deserves its very own colorful and long set of expletives! Trust me!

Hi Kristin,
Smokey is so cute! We just saw the new James Bond movie and it's pretty good! Have fun at the party! You need a cool spy name....

Loved your blog today. Sometimes one shouldn't try his best. Once I tried to kill a fly who was pestering me and I ended up by throwing my back out after all my gyrations. It took three weeks to heal. Now I have a fly-swatter to help me track down the pests. I saw the new Bond movie and it did live up to expectations!

Salut Kristin! I started receiving your emails after meeting an American lady whilst doing a Spanish course in Barcelona some years ago. She worked at Colombia University in New York at the time and live in London.

I am prompted to write because I just loved the concept on doing ones best including chasing out a fly. I usual invite my outside and open the door or window for them and they usually go. Bit strange but true.

Thank you again for your lovely emails. I learn words for things in French I didn't know I needed.

Kristin,

With those glasses and your beautiful blonde hair, you could go in jeans and a white top and look totally awesome.

Appreciated so many of these comments today (as always) that accompany your (as always :) thoughtful post. The thoughts resonate deeply. (My tag line on Google+ is "Just Show Up!")

When I was caring for my mom, I appreciated dear friends who didn't ask what I needed, but instead just showed up ... with soup in hand, or mowed the lawn, or brought coffee and 20 minutes of conversation ... you get the picture. This also taught me, as you mention, to accept.

Your friend let you know what he/she needs ... your presence. Show up as James Blonde (so creative!) and I'm sure you'll be a hit. Take care of you, and leave when, or if, you feel uncomfortable, and I'm sure your friend understand.

Best wishes.

Kristin,
>>>on a more personal level, what am I here to do?

the most important answer is, whatever makes your heart and your soul sing.

have successfully avoided both thanksgiving and black friday here in the sonoran desert. had a small piece of pecan pie. still have not uncovered the half a turkey breast which was roasted today instead of yesterday.

we all live with and deal with fear. the best lives don't deny that. we just don't let the fear dictate the songs we sing.

I'm also not getting the JM recording. Being an extrovert, you'd think I wouldn't have the problems you talk about, but there are always times when it's hard to walk into a room full of people. I make myself greet people and introduce myself, find out their name, and ask questions about any number of subjects. It's not always easy but very necessary to avoid the alternative. Staying holed up on the couch reading a book or watching TV is so tempting when you live alone, but we are in this world for a reason and maybe if we show up at the party (or potluck dinner at church on Thanksgiving), we'll meet someone new and have widened our world a little bit. Or made someone else a little more welcome.

Why not go disguised as an American tourist on a secret mission carrying a message to save the world but in French code! Be sure to wear the dark glasses. They will look even sexier on you than on Smokey!,😎 It is a great posting
Patience!

Hi, Kristin,
Your story made my monkey mind flip back in time to my adult son's childhood. I have a photo of him sitting on my lap while I am reading a children's book called, A Fly Went By, to him. Also the "do your best and show up" theme made me recall a time when my mother was still alive and I noticed a bracelet on her arm that did not look like the kind of jewelry she would normally wear so I inquired where she got it. This was at a time in my life when I was struggling with some difficult and very challenging issues. My mother, so intuitively, told me that she was on the seniors' bocce ball team or maybe it was the golf team, I forget which, and that they gave her the bracelet as a prize for just showing up! It immediately put everything into perspective for me. I have been so blessed by her quiet, sage, observations, especially her ability to see clearly the invisible struggles of others. You seem to have a similar keen insight which resonates with your readers. Am glad you found socializing energizing because you may have inspired someone else and hopefully that experience, in turn, may have a far-reaching positive, ripple effect on many others. Joanne, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Merci encore, chere Kristi! Please us with a photo of the female 007, s'il vous plais.

Sometimes it is not enough to do one's best. Sometimes one has to do what is required.

Winston Churchill