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Today's Word: l'oisivité
L'oisiveté rend à la fin le travail difficile
Idleness makes work difficult in the end.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
The only thing harder than writing…is not writing. Now there is a thought that has been on my mind all summer, as I try to decide just when to take a break from this 18-year-old blog–this ongoing chronicle of our life in France.
What will happen if I don't write for a fortnight? A month? A year? At worst I would implode. At best I would lose the hang of things, lose ground, making this colossal effort of expression even harder. And we all know:
The only thing harder than working…is NOT working, or, as the French saying goes: L'oisiveté rend à la fin le travail difficile. Idleness makes work difficult in the end.
Difficile…this brings me to a few lines that poured out of somewhere and into my thoughts while out on a walk this morning. I hope they make sense to you, as they made sense to me at the time (oftentimes what makes crystal clear, lightening bright sense to me while out on a walk–after two cups of coffee–makes no sense to me later on). Here are those initial thoughts, and the ideas that followed:
The only thing harder than writing…is NOT writing.
The only thing harder than running…is NOT running.
For just as the runner begins to get agitated/disturbed because he has not run, the writer suffers the words he has not expressed. This last thought brought me beyond writing:
The only thing harder than love…is NOT loving.
The only thing harder than truth…is NOT the truth (untruth).
The only thing harder than listening…is NOT listening.
The only thing harder than giving…is NOT giving.
The only thing harder than caring…is NOT caring.
…because these NOTS will eventually form KNOTS, stemming the flow of life and love….
I leave you now and invite you to share a few "The only thing harder than…. is NOT…." in the comments. I look forward to reading your words and will be back sometime in the next month…I just have to decide when!
(The only thing harder than deciding…is NOT deciding.)
Wherever you are on your path, I hope these words help.
Amicalement,
Kristi
Relaxing with family. Thank you, Cousin Sabine, for the photo at Cousin Audrey's.
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La seule chose plus difficile que le rire est de ne pas rire… peu importe à quel point le rire est difficile, c’est mieux. 🙂
The only thing better than being weak is NOT being weak because to show vulnerability one must be courageous and brave. When you share your vulnerability you are not being weak you are being true to yourself.
Vous souhaitant un mois d’aventure !
The only thing better than no adventure is stepping into many adventures!
The only thing harder than reading French Word a Day is not reading French Word a Day!!
The only thing harder than faith is not having faith
The only thing harder than feeling is not feeling (e.g. pain).
The only thing harder than believing is not believing!
The only thing harder than taking some time off to reflect upon things is not taking the time off to reflect upon things. Have a wonderful wherever you are and we will all await your return. The only thing harder I’m facing an unknown adventure is not to face an unknown adventure🌺
It is a difficult decision. I would miss your writing, but I fully understand. I gave talks and taught French Boutis for a long time but am now retired. I worked all my adult life in offices and am now retired. I miss the people and fun, but other things in life and hobbies prevail! I have a lovely full life. Wishing you the best!🤗💐💐💐
The only thing harder than living…. is not living!
The only thing harder than feeling…. is not feeling!
The only thing harder than dreaming….is not dreaming!
The only thing harder than bring creative….is not being creative!
The only think harder than journaling…is not journaling
The only thing harder than being emotional….is not being emotional
Your words rang so true, especially the love, truth, listening, giving, caring list!
Please reconsider your hiatus.
Especially during these troubling time, your writings are like nuggets of gold that add richness to our lives.
The only thing harder than smiling is NOT smiling.
The only thing harder than doing is NOT doing.
The only thing harder than relaxing is NOT relaxing.
Obviously, the only thing harder than thinking is NOT thinking! I could do this all day but I think I need to do the hard thing and just stop! 🙂
If you take a break we will miss you, and that is a precious thing. In our century, we have a situation of being connected electronically ALL the time. We don’t have much chance to miss anything or anybody. I was one of the last I know to buy a cell phone but I look at it all day long, as addicted as anyone. I have a friend (a provençale, actually), who suggested doing what she does–tossing the phone in a basket by the door when you come home and forgetting it. As a person who has moved into the rhythm of French life, you will be a great example for us if you pause. If you close in August, we will turn to our own lives and delight in your return.
The only thing harder than not being connected is being connected all the time!
-follow your call.
no one but you can hear that!
there’s always more,
-wake new every day.
things always get better.
peace!
Enjoy your break from writing. You’ll discover what happens next, I’m sure.
Are you leaving???? MON DIEU!!
I am a newcomer…. This is my FIRST time reading your
Writing …….
And from the first sentence I was totally hooked and thrilled …..& in touch with how starved I am for such
a fabulous resource:
Your writing and readers comments!
You are truly gifted and remind me of my favorite definition of humility : “ TO HONOR ONE’S GIFTS.”
It’s so much more difficult to not be inspired than to be inspired!
I thank you for this spark of this introduction and wish you the very best …. It is so difficult to know you for a moment than to not know you at all !
Hi Kristi,
Leslie from NYC got it right
The only thing harder than not being connected is being connected all the time!
I am always connected to my IPad or IPhone or computer. It is the first thing and the last thing that I check every day. How pathetic is that? Even when I am on vacation I still check my email, Twitter and
Facebook. It is really sad because I am not a millennial, but am still hooked. But I know that if I didn’t I would have so many emails waiting for me, especially during this time of Covid, unrest and elections. It is not the best of times – unfortunately.
Oh if this was just a simpler time. There is too much stress all around, SO TAKE YOUR TIME AND REST, REGROUP AND ENJOY LIFE. We will survive, but will look forward to your return and you thoughtful blogs.
Peace, Kathleen
J’adore ceci. Well said!
Bonjour, Kristi, et merci pour ce blog. Une amie me l’introduit il y a tres longtemps. Je lis vos postes de temps en temps. J’aime beacoup la vie que vous decrivez and surtout les photos.
The only thing harder than trying, is NOT trying
And what you said about writing and running touched a deep chord…
Bonne chance et bonne vie a jamais!
Hema Ramachandran
The only thing harder than being patient…is not being patient.
It’s always important to fill the well back up. We will be here.
The only thing harder than living in the now, is not living in the now. 💐🙏🏻
Reread all those wonderful nuggets of gold Kristi has left with us through the years! 🙂
To all of us who will miss you, and of course that is ALL of us, we can still read/re-read your books. That is how you and I first “met.” I have also saved all of these blogs. Most importantly, if you feel that you need a break or a rest, TAKE IT! Do what is best for you, and keep your readers in your heart, as we will keep you and your family in our hearts.
While I will miss your wise, insightful and delightful blog posts, I completely understand the need for a break, even from a pursuit we love. I am, in fact, doing just that myself at this time. Enjoy, relax, refocus, refresh and renew, Kristi! I will welcome your return, whenever that may be.
Profite de ta liberté!
The only thing harder than taking risks, is not taking risks!
À +
As usual , what I would say to you has already been said. So – go have a great time and enjoy what the world has to offer in beautiful France. We will be here when you return to writing.
As we stop one thing, we begin another. Who knows what that will be for you? The day will come when you say to yourself “I have to write today.” And that day will be the right time for you!
Enjoy this next journey.
omg i can’t even believe he’d suggest that…
Hi Kristi!!
The only thing more difficult than following your heart is NOT following what your heart desires!
If that means if you want to take a break from writing, so be it….. we have many years of your posts to re-read, whilst we eagerly await your (refreshed and renewed) return.
The only thing more difficult than gardening is NOT gardening ; and letting the weeds take over!. BTW…J’adore les chapeaux!!
with love,
Sue
Our dear Kristi,
For me,the only thing harder than the emptiness of an an unspoken prayer is the emptiness because I did not do so!!
Many of your readers(including myself) have been with you and your wonderful blog, your words of wisdom,and your inspiration–you are part of our lives and families and like a cherished member of our family,we only want what we bring you happiness and fulfill your inner spirit.
We send you always our love and ask God to bless you and your beautiful family with health,safety,health,, joy.
Love
Natalia. Xo
True! I think we would suffer withdrawal on many levels. Thank you Kristi for these many years of pleasurable reading.
I think taking a break … sometimes you return better than ever. Take a break and return to what you love.
The only thing more difficult than keeping your mouth shut … when badly treated by someone …. is not keeping your mouth shut … when badly treated by someone.
We are hearing you need a break. We hope that you have so many wonderful adventures that you will want to come back to your blog at some point. Breathe in some sea air for us all. Relax,repose, refresh!
Yes!
Well said.
Bonjour Kristi – this is my first time commenting but I have received your blog for about a year and have enjoyed a peak into your life. I also lived in Paris for 6 years. I have been teaching French for 22 years and just retired 6 weeks ago. Change is sad on one level but necessary on another. Enjoy your break and unplug when you can.
The only thing harder than change is never making a change.
The only thing harder than communicating is not communicating.
When there is a strained relationship, where a hurt has been given. One wants to reach out to solve the issue, to smooth over the hurt, but so many times the words are sour for the recipients ears.
Bonjour, Kristi,
La chose la plus important que mentir à vous-mêmes, c’est à dire la vérité. Néanmoins, il vaut la peine!
Ne vous jamais oubliez que vous avez des amis, oui, vous en avez beaucoup!
I think it is funny how we are all so attached to you, Kristi. You have that certain….je ne sais quoi…! Your writing and your photos…they are wonderful bright spots in this life. Whatever you decide to do, thank you.
Follow your bliss, dear Kristi 👏😉😁… You are in our hearts and we all wish you the BEST, always.
Wow. Also my first time here, and I am full of admiration for the honesty you and your husband share with us strangers who experience a gift from God through your work.
I was thinking yesterday that I listen to so many Catholic podcasts from men, and that I wanted to hear more of a life with God by women. Et voila. (Using an ipad and not knowing how to find an accent mark.)
Merci and best wishes for your holiday. I missed my annual virtual holiday to France via the Tour de France this year. I buy more French cheeses and look up all about the different regions, learning more every year.
Merci, Paula from California
Hi Kristi – As Patricia (way above) said, you are an exemplary practitioner of humility by honoring your gifts, which you so willingly, delightfully and inspirationally share. Even if you take a well-deserved break from this blog, you will go on creating because that is how YOU were created. What a blessing to all of us “Kristi Groupies.” When I was a teacher, I enjoyed the one really free month of July. When I was a child in southern France, the whole area virtually shut down for the month of August when families gathered in remote places to vacation. When professors wish to leave their normal duties to research or recharge, they take time off and call it a “sabbatical.” People tend to be the better for these necessary practices. Therefore, with all you do and have done, go in peace and take a break. Selfishly, I hope it indeed will be a break, a time to gather new fascinating material and photographs which you will again share with all of us! Soon! Merci pour tout! À bientôt! – Janet
Dear Kristi:
I have subscribed to your “dual bio” very early on. Unfortunately, I did not write down how to access the new chapters as they came along and so have lost track of the story. Can you tell me how to access the whole book to date (I think it is 12 chapters)? And also tell me what the password is? I remember one of the words but that is all.
Bonnes vacances from writing the blog. Then someday, not to far away I hope, I can say bonne continuation. I am sure that 18 years feels endless right now but I also feel that you have many more things to say. We have also seen the evolution of a talented writer and that is almost as interesting as your story.
Best wishes, Mary Lou Johnston
It’s August, when the French are supposed to take vacation, n’est-ce pas? You will be missed (obviously), but I hope you come back refreshed and renewed.
The only thing harder than breathing…is not breathing.
Dear Kristi! Congratulations on 18 years! This is a feat.
One must take care of oneself in order to care for and inspire others. Summertime is the perfect time to set yourself free for a while. You will certainly be missed, but isn’t this a wonderful thing?
Follow your heart, which led you to write in the first place. xoxo
Dear Kristi – Thank you for your superb timing, once again. Your friends have all said all the things I would have said to you myself. Except that today seems like a day when I need to listen to what God is trying to get me to hear – He’s been at that for some time now – and your words, and those of the comments, encourage me to be quiet and listen – the only thing harder than being quiet and listening is being so busy that I can’t hear Him ! So I’ve done my daily reading in the book you recommended to me many years ago – Gurnall’s “The Christian in Complete Armour” – about the danger of false holiness, and an encouragement to not be hypocritical. May He continue to bless you richly as you hear what He has to say to you ! Ned
Thank you for your very inspirational comment. It reminds me of a poem I wrote twenty-five years ago. Here it is for Kristi:
BLOOMING HEART
Maneuvering through
the veins of a leaf
growing toward the sun
My life is but a prayer for you
Intricate lacework done
My heart blooms
with the names of God
My mind listens
with great intent
Speak through me
Do through me
Be through me
My waiting branches bent
K.J. Laramie (c) 1995
Beautiful, Ned and KJ.
And to dear Kristi,
Follow your heart, dear friend.
The only thing harder than having a vineyard is NOT having a vineyard.