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The big, significant steps or decisions in life, in the moment, often will not appear as such. Rather, only in hindsight do we realize how life-changing a seemingly small decision we made while merely taking
advantage of an opportunity, listening to our intuition, or doing what made the most sense, was on the trajectory of life.
About this fact, I have been thinking about Julia Child lately, and as I reread her memoir My Life in France, I am reminded that she had no idea what she was pursuing would become what neophytes in the French kitchen today gawk at and continue to be inspired
by. But she did listen. She listened to her intuition, to an understood need in society and a recognition of what she had the ability to offer without hesitation or someone else to lead the way.
Julia Child was a pioneer in many ways: as a cook on a successful television food series, as a cookbook writer who tirelessly tested her recipes and dedicated careful attention to the language in her
instructions to assist, not confuse, the home cook and as a woman who would chase her dreams without apology.
Another take away Julia reminds us all of that it is vitally important to remember to invest in yourself and your dreams. After the successful launch of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, even after Julia received their first royalty check, just over $600 remained to pay off all of the expenses of the book. To absorb this fact is crucial. After spending more than seven years writing, testing, rewriting again, being rejected and doubted, she and Simca continued to invest in what they wholeheartedly believed in. Based on their effort, research and thorough attention, the
remaining balance was quickly paid off. But they had to invest first.
Speaking of investing . . . The investment for a beautiful weekend is often a work week full of productivity, and sometimes it is investing in one weekend to ensure that the following weekends are truly lovely and enable beautiful moments of pleasure. This weekend I will be heading to the nurseries, planning my
garden, my flower pots and hanging baskets to add Mother Nature's beauty to the front and back of my home. I always enjoy this annual effort of beautifying each year. I never quite know what I will find, but I alway have some idea of what I am looking for.
Along with the jaunt to pick up plants, grass seed and vegetable and herb starts will certainly be time to read, relax and enjoy.
And oh, how I wish Paris Can Wait was in a Bend theater. As Diane Lane's much anticipated Francophile film debuts this weekend, I hope you have a theater nearby that is offering this lovely movie. I certainly cannot wait for when it finally does arrive and I am able to make an afternoon of it.
Thank you again for subscribing to the weekly newsletter, and I do hope you have a
lovely weekend. Stop by the blog on Sunday when a sweet Mother's Day treat will be shared. Until next week, I'll see you on the blog.
