Hello mamas and papas. I hope that your summer has been going great. Those of you who follow my blog know that family has been visiting Paris for the past two weeks. Although times are troubling here, there is a beauty and joy that transcends. Paris offers the ancient pleasures of life: good bread, fine art, walking and talking, and the sunset over water.

So much beauty yet for me the city means something different: friendship. Quite a few of my closest friends in the world live in France and some in Paris so I get back here as often as I can to see them.

Among these is my dear friend Cecile. Cecile and I met when I was a lost, lonely and miserable exchange student. She took me under her wing and showed me the ropes at the school we both attended. She helped me figure out how to get my tiny room painted and cover the grey stains with a bright blue. We took the bus to gym glass, has sandwiches in the park, and a lifelong friendship began.

25 years later, we laugh just as much together and can share everything that is going on in our lives – the happy and the sad, the successes and the challenges. Marc and I had dinner with Cecile and her partner Yann this past week. They picked us up in Yann’s antique car and we drove to the Place des Voges. A good meal and a few glasses of red wine later, my heart felt warmed over by this special evening with a rare and true old friend.

Thanks so much for reading!

Melissa

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