| A few days ago I was driving around in my | | | | they believe it is best to enjoy each day |
| car, running errands. The sun was shining. It | | | | fully, in as many ways as possible. And yes, |
| was truly a beautiful spring day. I almost | | | | one of those ways is to enjoy a beautiful |
| felt as if I were back in southern France. | | | | sunny day, doing not much at all, or at least |
| Having grown up there, I can honestly say | | | | nothing overly productive, as per our North |
| that I am a great "connaisseur" (that's | | | | American standards anyway.Do you have |
| French you know!) of what constitutes a | | | | "Doodle" days? And if not, do you remember |
| beautiful day: sunshine, blue skies, birds | | | | them?What did you used to do as a child that |
| chirping (no cigales/cicadas here) a bit of a | | | | allowed you to "escape"? Where did you go? |
| light breeze, and the uncontrollable need to | | | | What were your favourite activities? Do you |
| do nothing productive. On that day in my car, | | | | still have "Doodle" days? And if not... why |
| life was very good indeed!A song came on the | | | | not? Do you know why you should? Do you even |
| radio, and I thought it was just so "a | | | | know where to start?Why should you bring back |
| propos"! The artist was singing about | | | | the "Doodle" days?Because our brains are |
| remembering the "Doodle" days. I thought: | | | | always going, even during the night (please |
| What a cute play on words, the "Doodle" | | | | tell me it's not just me mentally making |
| days!I certainly remember my early "Doodle" | | | | lists at night!), they rarely get a rest. We |
| days with great fondness. Those were the days | | | | can rest our bodies, but we find it much |
| when I would find any opportunity to indulge | | | | harder to rest our minds. And so, we become |
| in one of my favourite pastime such as | | | | forgetful and feel overwhelmed.You should |
| "griffonner et dessiner" (doodling and | | | | bring back the "Doodle" days because you |
| drawing). "A la campagne" (in the | | | | deserve a vacation. You work hard and most |
| countryside), I would climb to the top of a | | | | likely take care of several people around |
| hill, sit among "le thym et le romarin" (the | | | | you. But the likelihood of you going away on |
| thyme and rosemary), and I would draw that | | | | vacation to the South of France on a weekly |
| 11th century Romanesque chapel in the | | | | basis is probably rather remote, right? |
| distance. "A la plage" (at the beach) a stick | | | | |
| would become my drawing tool, and the whole | | | | I thought so...So... where do you start?How |
| "plage" my forgiving canvas.You can take the | | | | about at the beginning... You may not have |
| girl out of France, but you can't take France | | | | grown up in France, but I'm sure that when |
| out of the girl.To this day, I treasure any | | | | you were young, doing pleasurable things came |
| "Doodle" day, or even any "Doodle" moment, | | | | to you naturally. You didn't over think |
| when I mindlessly engage in fun, relaxing, | | | | anything and just went with your impulses. |
| creative activities; one of my favourite | | | | And here is a key component... You didn't |
| being painting, with a brush in one hand, a | | | | feel guilty for not doing anything |
| glass of "vin rouge" (that's right ladies, | | | | "productive". Right?So... remember what it |
| red wine!) in the other, and Mozart in the | | | | was you used to love doing, it could have |
| background. The whole world seems to | | | | been running, watching the clouds while |
| disappear and "mon esprit" (my mind) finds a | | | | laying on your back in the soft grass, |
| restful place to spend some quality time.Here | | | | watching the river run by, doodling even... |
| in North America, the philosophy of life | | | | you get my drift! We may not currently be |
| still focuses on "The Pursuit of Happiness", | | | | living on "la Cote d'Azur" (the Riviera), but |
| while in France, we believe in "La Joie de | | | | we do have sunny days, and blue skies, and |
| Vivre" (the Joy of Living) and "La Douce Vie" | | | | some of the nicest waterways in the |
| (The Sweet Life). To tell you the truth, the | | | | world.Now... DO IT! Be more like the French |
| French can be a rather fatalistic lot; so | | | | once in a while. |