Impressions of France — The Edwards Family

Every country has its own identity. Some of it is likely well earned, while some might be a little off base. Since I had never been to France, all I had to go on were my preconceived notions based on perception. People often refer to the French as aloof, somewhat lazy and they don’t really like Americans - or anyone else for that matter.

The English and the French don’t particularly like each other and that was reinforced to us during our time in London. That rivalry is understandable given the history of conflicts between the two countries over centuries of time. After spending 10 days in Paris, Provence and the French Rivera, I believe that I have enough of a “body of work” to draw my own conclusions about France.

The people of France are very proud of their country. It’s not a coincidence that it is the most visited country in the world. The US is 5th - which I found interesting. Specifically, the French are very proud of their art, food, natural beauty and architecture. I think that people confuse this pride with arrogance. I believe that their frame of mind is similar to our own attitude as Southerners towards the rest of the US. We are very proud of our Southern heritage and culture and as long as you are here to enjoy it like we do, we’re Ok with that. Just leave your “Jersey” at home. :-) This is how the French are. They want you to enjoy everything about their culture. They don’t mind Americans coming to France, they just don’t want you to try to bring America to France. Sound familiar?

With regard to being “lazy,” there is a different sense of urgency in France. In reality, this is somewhat true anywhere you go outside the US. We have a “drive thru” culture in a lot of ways and it’s just not that way in most other parts of the world. It’s a bit of a shock to our system when we experience the difference in pace. It’s frustrating at first until you see the value of slowing down a bit. This ties in to my next points…

The French take extreme pride in the quality of their food, art etc… We have more of a profit driven mindset in the States. In France there is a real emphasis on quality and process where we tend to be more production and results oriented. Capitalism and artistry often conflict with one another. It’s nice to think that there is room for both.

One of the many great things about traveling is learning from other cultures. I certainly love America but there are some things that we can learn from the French that might enhance our quality of life. One of the impressions that I’ll never forget is from an afternoon we spent in a stunningly beautiful park in Paris called Luxembourg Gardens (pictured above). Their are chairs scattered all over this park - something you wouldn’t likely see in the US. People are sitting and visiting, reading, painting or just enjoying the surroundings. We may know how to get things done here in the US, but the French know how to really enjoy the moment - and that is never a bad thing. Put me down for more of that.

The events of the past couple of weeks provide a heavy reminder of the brevity of life. None of us can be sure of our tomorrows. We’ll do pretty well with this mindset:

Learn from the past, live in the present and keep our eyes on eternity.

Pull up a chair,

Big E

Matt. 5:6