Lovely Awkward: A Year of Wine, Romance and Life Among the French

Lovely Awkward: A Year of Wine, Romance and Life Among the French

Tuesday, 2 August 2011

Return to where we met - Lusk Cave



Yesterday the Prof. and I put on our hiking shoes, packed our bathing suits, and made the trek back to Gatineau's Lusk Caves -- the place where we first met two years ago.

Walking along the trail toward the caves, past the sandy beaches filled with swimmers and the lovely Canadian maples, we both found it hard to believe how much has changed since our first hike.

Two years ago, we could barely speak to each other. Our sentences were broken, full of errors, and delicately constructed. Mostly, we just offered each other awkward smiles. (Here's my original column in the Toronto Star.)

This year, however, the Prof. and I switched between French and English with ease (the way we've decided our communication works best), held hands along the path (not just in the cave to keep from slipping), and well, ventured into the caves as husband and wife. Weird. I can't believe how much can happen in just two years.

Here are some slides from our return hike:



Since I've been away, all kinds of things have changed, not just in my life. My sister has had another baby, half of the people I used to work with at the CBC have changed jobs, friends have married and divorced, had babies, moved houses ... life has happened, both in France and back here in Ottawa.

Sometimes, life is a hard thing for the brain to take.

For the last week, I've been waking up with visions that either my life in France or the life I left back in Canada is imaginary; I've dreamed that I never left Ottawa for France and that this return visit is just a dream. I'm not nuts, I've probably just watching a little too much science fiction.

It's amusing to wake up some mornings with such a clear idea of what my life might have been like if I'd never gone on that hike, never fallen in love with the Prof., and never left.

I must admit, however, that I'm happy with the way it all turned out. And, I guess, how it continues to turn out. We're not done yet.

5 comments:

  1. Kerry: It's really amazing. Sometimes I think that life is so random, but then everything seems to happen for a reason. I wonder too, what would have happened if you never went on that hike?! Two years isn't a long time, but so much has changed. I suppose change is life...I am going back to Toronto for a visit in less than 2 weeks, yes exactly 5 years ago.

    Carmen

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carmen: It's been 5 years since you were in Toronto? I'm sure a lot has changed. Which area of the city are you returning to?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I must admit I read "Lust Cave" at first :-D

    Things change, people change, you change... I know the feeling. For the first two years I was in Canada, I alternated between excitement and a dreadful "oh shit what am I doing with my life" feeling. Then eventually the jigsaw pieces fell together. It's a fun journey and it never ends!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, 5 years since I'm done with school there. Back to downtown, but will be going to Kleinburg for the McMichael Art Collection and then a few days up at the cottage in Huntsville. Then will be heading to Montreal and Quebec City! I need a vacation so badly!

    How are you enjoying the heat though? I'm not used to that (since I'm from Vancouver!)!!!

    Carmen

    ReplyDelete
  5. Zhu: Lust Cave? How embarrassing! Our first meeting wasn't THAT intense!

    ReplyDelete