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Learning to listen to the song that's playing of your own souls radio

I took a tentative, and perhaps foolish, reentry into the Instagram world last week and feel that’s impacted my motivation to write, I’ve been sharing stories of our life here on Substack in a considered way. I then impulsively decided to put some snippets of life on Instagram about our life in France having taken a seven-month break. Have I resold my soul to the devil by heading back there in order to bring some awareness to my Substack? Is my big fat ego tripping me up, or am I showing some of the beauty of where I live to interested people and bringing joy? I shared some videos of how glorious it is here in the ordinary and every day, none of the lengthy written explanations I previously indulged in. Of course, I then get sucked into watching chicken videos and the virtue-signaling content of various people who are peddling their wears.

Motivations aside, our life here is truly beautiful. I try and see it through my children’s eyes, wondering what it must be like to grow up here and be surrounded by this level of beauty, as an everyday. That building I’ve pictured above is in Pézenas and is fairly ordinary here. Imagine that being your normal? I grew up on military bases and in suburban England. Drab, square-boxed houses with the same layout. Here you enter a village filled with old wine makers’ houses (maison de vigneron), if you are lucky enough to be invited over you’ll find that no two are the same. The proportions are all off, rooms are randomly placed, or surprisingly modern loft conversions. The children don’t bat an eyelid at this, they seem to take it all for granted and just see everywhere else as ugly, except for Grannie’s 1990s house with wall-to-wall carpet, that’s paradise.

In other news, I’ve gone up a gear with my French learning by joining a Philosophy and Literature class on Tuesday mornings. This makes me feel quite sophisticated, and I’m enjoying dressing up for the occasion, I ride with my friend Helena in her convertible, silk scarf blowing in the wind, and a slick of red lipstick (photo taken in Spain but it gives you an idea of the look I’m going for). I also have two French lessons a week, after-school time with parents in the park, Friday you’ll find me at dance class, Sunday mass, and a few books on the go. Slow, steady, and fancy keeps me interested. Homemaking, manageable pockets of paid work, and plenty of time with my family, day-to-day life feels balanced and I’m incredibly content.

The days are still warm, and I’m desperate to be wearing autumnal clothes. Grateful I can sleep at night as the evenings are cool but my body is desperate to begin winter preparations. We’re expecting some much-needed rain next week I hope. I’m feeling deeply uninspired to write anything but I’m not waiting to be motivated. I have to write in French if I want to practice as an Occupational Therapist here so I’m making myself, and I’m glad I did. The journey to listen to my own soul’s radio continues. Sometimes it needs retuning as you travel along and I think that’s where I’m at at the moment.

I’ll finish with a pleasant song I had in my head from last night’s dream. I have forgotten the content but I often have a soundtrack and this was in last night’s show. It’s a pleasant earworm I hope you’ll enjoy it. I got the inspiration to share songs from the substack writer Maria Hanley of Dream Big, you may enjoy her posts too.

Want to read this in French? If you are looking to improve your French, reading it side by side with English is a great way of building your confidence. You’ll observe that many of the words are the same, in fact over 60,000 words are exactly the same, you just need to add an accent, if you’re familiar with the British comedy ‘Ello ‘Ello, you’ll know what I mean. As part of my passion project to work as an occupational therapist in the French language (I already work here but primarily in English and this needs to change!).

I’m using my substack to motivate me. I am developing my written French and will translate the short piece above (with the help of a lovely friend proofreading for me), I’ve added some different photos and a Spotify playlist to Frenchify your day.