When in Paris …When in Georgia …
Meet Pat
I realize that the proverb is more accurately, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” (a St. Ambrose proverb meaning that it is best to follow the traditions or customs of a place being visited); but you see, we were not in Rome when we met Pat. We were in Paris.
So, “When in Paris, do as the Parisians do”
… and so we did.
Weary from yet another Planes, Trains and Automobiles day of traveling, Michael and I found ourselves dragging our packs up four flights of steep non-ADA compliant Parisian stairs to our room, quickly changing our clothes and heading out again for a late (by American standards) dinner. We were starving and so,
“When in Paris, do as the Parisians do”
… and so we did.
We found ourselves in a small, noisy, friendly pub that served “reasonably sized servings for a reasonable price” as recommended by our Hotel manager. By this time in our travels, we had now become quite accustomed to taking out our phones and applying our Google Translate feature to assist us with communication throughout Europe, and in this particular pub, we needed help with the menu.
With just a hint of a former Jersey accent, we suddenly and unexpectedly heard, “Where are you from?” from the gentleman beside me.
This is where Pat comes in.
When you least expect it, good things happen.
We talked for hours! After the cordialities of our conversation commenced, “Which state are you from?” “What brings you here?” “What line of work are you in?”... things like that, our communication pathway was cleared for more in-depth complexities.
We spoke of our family members. We described our travels. We laughed a lot.
You see, although not a WWII vet himself, Pat did serve in the military during a time between WWII and Korea conflicts. However, he found himself fascinated with WWII history and so, this Octogenarian traveled to France to see Normandy.
iPhone-tracked from a distance by his daughter and grandson (who reside in Georgia), this Delta airlines million miler felt comfortable traveling roads and city streets around the world.
Delving deeper into his most recent excursion to Normandy, he spoke of its history and the immenseness of the invasion. D-Day Landings on June 6, 1944 were nothing less than the largest and most complex combined airborne and amphibious military operation of all time. Today this epic history attracts millions of visitors to reflect on what was achieved – and why.
We’ve all seen the movies and read the stories, but experiencing Normandy live and in-person added a three-dimensional feature to his adventure; one of which Pat took time and effort to explain to us.
So, we listened.
Shamans teach us that HEALING THE VIBRATION OF TRAUMA IN THE LAND is possible and … necessary.
https://shamanicpractice.org/article/healing-the-vibration-of-trauma-in-the-land/
We can practice daily to strengthen our connection to the elements and the land, be it with song, sacred
ritual or offering.
Ann Drake, Psy.D is a clinical psychologist
Today's Normandy is a far cry from the battlefields of war. This beautiful region draws travelers from around the world, who feast their eyes on landscapes that inspired the great Impressionist painters, while sampling the famous local cheese, Camembert. However, blunt physical reminders of the past remain scattered about the region, a lasting reminder of the thousands of lives lost during the D-Day operation.
We spoke of what was important to each of us.
By the time our plates were empty, chairs were stacked upon tables and floors were swept, the owners were telling us through many forms of communications (sans Google Translate) that it was time to go!
“When in Paris, do as the Parisians do”
… and so we did.
The next day, we made plans to meet up with Pat again.
Our waiter, pretending to be taking OUR photo.
We found another restaurant equidistant from each of our hotels and made reservations. Our Charlie Chaplain-esque waiter served and entertained us throughout the evening. (We had a sneaky feeling we might be closing down this restaurant as well.)
Conversations continued where they had left off the night before, as if no time had lapsed between the two days.
This time, referring to more current times and places, Pat continued our conversations to include recent events and issues that are important to each of us. When asked questions about his home state and his personal involvement with it, he replied with earnest and sincere passion - no different than his efforts expressed during our Normandy conversations. The topic?
Democracy.
On September 11, 2001, the OAS adopted the Inter-American Democratic Charter designed to strengthen and preserve representative democracy in the hemisphere.
The Democratic Charter defines the essential elements of representative democracy in very specific terms, including: respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; holding free and fair elections; a pluralistic system of political parties and organizations; separation of powers; independence of the branches of government; freedom of expression and of the press; and constitutional subordination of all state institutions to the legally constituted civilian authority.
“Georgia has been typically more red than blue, but in recent elections Democrats have come out ahead,” Pat comments.
“When in Georgia, do as the Georgians do”
… and so he did.
When I asked Pat why he is so involved in Georgia politics, he tells me,
“I am so involved in the Democratic party activities specifically to turn Cherokee County and the state blue.”
“Since I have been so involved in all activities of the Democratic Party I knew of Stacy Abrams and Julia Roberts joining us in our celebration of the first ever presidential office in Cherokee County.”
He continues,
“At the same time, to make sure our Democracy holds on to what men and women have fought for and died for for almost 250 years.”
When asked about his passion toward his work, he comments,
“I have four daughters, 6 grandchildren and a great granddaughter and I want them to have a country that they can look forward to living in within their future … and have a president who will help give them every opportunity for a future.”
He closes by sharing one last (but not really) thought with us,
“The soul of America is at stake in this election. It is not a political statement if it means that all that we have stood for since 1776 will be lost if Trump wins.”
“Have we been perfect?” he asks.
“No,” he answers rhetorically.
“We will always be a work in progress. But in order to get better we can start by having a woman president. This is long overdue.”
“When in Georgia, do as the Georgians do”
… and so Pat does.
