The Secret, Part Deux

Well, we got in last night and I'm suffering from some major jetlag. It's hard to keep the eyes open.

On one of our last nights in Paris, Mark and I had dinner at a Korean restaurant for bulgogi, mandu and seafood casserole. We were counting our Euros by then, and it was a delicious treat.

It'd been a long day, and I was feeling grungy and hot from walking around in the sun. I pictured myself as a dishevelled, overripe tomato shuffling down an endless city street. Not a flattering image.

Sitting to one side of me was a well-dressed woman visiting from the States. She looked sophisticated with her hair in a loose bun. On my other side was a glamorous Parisian with the longest eyelashes ever. While we ate, all the little voices in my head compared me to them, muttering 'Tomato, Tomato'.

The voices continued while Mark and I walked after dinner in the 'Latin Quarter'. We pushed our way through crowds of hungry tourists looking for cheap eats and hawkers trying to drum up business for their restaurants. Some restaurants listed their 'plats' on chalkboards outside, three-course meals for around 15 Euro (about 20 bucks). Others had funky interiors or storefronts, open kitchens and crepe-makers on display.

The voices were still at it when I, the overripe tomato, stepped into a huge pile of doggy doo. I gave a little yelp and Mark burst out laughing. Oy vey!!

Anyhow, that night brought me back to thinking about'The Secret'. I'd seen the movie a few weeks ago, which talks about how the world reflects how you view the world, and not the other way around.

If I'd somehow forced myself out of feeling like a tomato, would I have avoided the doggy doo? Probably not. But I wouldn't have felt the same way afterwards, as if the universe were confirming the insides of my head. I would've laughed it off and enjoyed the rest of our night.

It's upsetting that such destructive thoughts crept in, even when in such a beautiful city. At least now I can reflect and learn a little.


Photo by Kitty from the Cligancourt markets. More images to come.