The Season Of Change

No other season brings a blend of raw emotions like autumn—of mystery and pensiveness, of reflection and nostalgia, of melancholy and excitement. There is something magical it.

It is the time of year that you that needed long walk in the park where you ponder endlessly. You put on that favorite over-sized sweater and hit the streets wearing your heart on my sleeve. You slip the headphones into your ears and let the the songs fill the heart.  You simultaneously feel the summer sun's lingering rays and the coming winter's cool blows.

As you walk, you can see the world change its colors, admiring the golden leaves being swept into the wind and then reluctantly falling to the ground. The crisp cool breeze kisses your cheeks as you squeeze the warmth of your sweater.

You observe the strangers that slowly pass you by, each lost in their own thoughts. You reflect on your past and imagine a perfect future.  You slowly and carefully organize all the little compartments in your brain. You let go of old and make room for all the new that is yet to come your way. Your mellow heart mingles in between the summer's commotion and winter's lethargy. As the world changes its colors, you too make changes within your heart and mind. You  piece together the puzzles of your life.

The days grow shorter, the nights get colder and your heart gets fuller.

You look forward.

Autumn is the time to sip on the hot chocolate, to swing in a hammock, to sleep-in those extra 5 minutes, to bite into the caramel apple, to read a classic, to snuggle underneath the blanket, to smell the spices, to eat your favorite comfort food, to give in to temptation, to indulge, to cuddle, to hug, to reflect ...

... and to feel like all is right with the world again.

Love, Locks and Lovers (Paris)

Thousands of delusional lovey-dovey couples flock to Paris every day. Paris is said to be the city of lovers, one of the most romantic place on earth.

Flowing through the heart of the city is the Siene River. One of my favorite parts of the city are the adorned bridges that are filled with hundreds of colorful love-locks. As tradition goes, lovers would get a lock and inscribe their names onto it. The couples would then lock it onto the metal bridge and throw the key into the river, symbolizing their eternal love and commitment for each other. How rrrromantic! (insert girly sigh here)

As you stroll on the bridges, you can admire or detest (based on how you feel about your current relationship status) the ocean of colorful padlocks adorned with little hearts and names of the lovers who proclaimed their everlasting love. Perhaps you can even add to the collection if you're there with a special someone, hmm? (insert nudge and creepy wink here)

Anyway, I later learned that the heavy metal locks quickly overwhelm the bridges as thousands of hopeful lovebirds of the world come to proclaim their never-ending love. As a result, every couple months, the city has to go around and clip the locks from the bridges. I hope those relationships last longer than the locks. So much for never-ending love, huh?

I think we all know the real winners of this tradition: the lock making business must be pretty lucrative in France.

The Language of Love

Our languages may be different, but our emotions transcend all barriers.

I know a couple (a Chilean muchacho and a Russian devotchka) that are head over heels for one another, yet neither of them speak each other's language. But it doesn't matter, because there is no stopping love.

I see them romantically stroll though the streets, as one hand squeezes the palm of their lover, while the other hand clutches to a small worn-out translation dictionary. Que romantico!

I suppose love goes beyond words.

A look, a wink, a smile, a kiss- the language of love is universal.