The Night Before Valentine's Day

This will be my first Valentine's Day that I am celebrating by myself. I am playing tennis in the morning with a woman from Nashville, Tennessee who lives here in Paris, Kate. I have never met her before. I hope I don't make an ass of myself. I just have to accept the free fall.

I bought myself flowers on my way home tonight to mark the significance of the romantic holiday. While waiting in th echeck put line I met the most affectionate Jack Russell terrier who licked me with total reckless abandon. This was my official first french kiss. Not what I expected but it was quite good!

I have made my first friend in Paris Josef Shin who works at Breakfast in America. I know it is a bit pathetic that I go there but I can't resist the comfort of the tunes they play and hearing people around me speak english. I have discovered that if i go their at odd times of the day I can hang out as long as I want. Josef was born in Vietnam but is half Korean. He seems to be willing to take me under his wing and guide me to where I need to go. Today I had the nerve to ask him the most unsexy question. " Do you know where I can hire a carpet steam cleaning service to come and do my hallway rug?" I also asked him about using the public bikes and where I can go to watch a film in english. He seems to be taking my ignorance quite well and perhaps he finds me amusing. I am like an abandoned cat that keeps showing up on the front step for milk and comfort.

I also had my first yoga class yesterday. I LOVED IT! Yoku kept telling us to surrender. She asked us to open up our palms to the sky and just say "yes." What a wonderful image. I leaned back on my knees, spread my arms out and opened myself up to the universe. She came by me touched a spot in the center of my back and said that is where the back of your heart is so please keep it open. It is the most tender spot on my back. No wonder it has been in so much pain. At the end of the class she said that we should roll over on our sides and think about something that I have not been willing to say yes to. My mind scanned my thoughts for what it is. I came up with my answer. I have not said yes to love. She said say yes to it. Say yes to whatever it is. So I meditated on saying yes to love and surrendering to all of the possibility that lies within love.

Love Jen