Words of Wisdom, 5/7/07

Twenty-five years ago, a 15 year French boy named Pascal Bihan came to stay with our family for the summer.  His arrival is the event that sparked my interest in learning French.  Before that time, I had learned some Spanish and some German, but no French.  Now, I teach students just a year younger than Pascal was when I first met him.

I mention this history for two reasons.  First, you never know what event will change your life.  You never know when meeting a new person will change the way you look at the world.  Put a different way, how dull would it be if everyone you met fit neatly into your same comfort zone?  If you stay open to new experiences and new people, you will make your life potentially a lot more exciting and fulfilling.

The other reason I mention this experience is that I got an e-mail from Pascal last week.  He now lives with his wife, Fabienne and their three children.  He wrote me to invite me to come for their joint 40th birthday part on June 30th in Grenoble, France.  It sounds like an invitation I can’t refuse.  The point is, new friendships gained years ago, or today, can last a lifetime.  Once the door is opened to new relationships, the possibilities for growth and development in the future are limitless.

Open yourself to new possibilities.  Who knows, you might get an e-mail yourself in the year 2032 from a friend you’ll make tomorrow.