A FAREWELL TO REMEMBER.

Paris is like a first date. It will either break your heart or make you fall in love.

My first trip to Paris was an impromptu two day visit. I decided not to take a guided tour but rather get immersed in the experience, charm and magic of the city.

Arrondissements or districts connected by boulevards and a maze of avenues and rues (streets) divided the city. Cobblestone roads were adorned by historical buildings and beautifully appointed gardens.  

Along the Left Bank of river Seine, on rue de la Bucherie, stood a small book store named Shakespeare and Company; a quaint, more than a century old historical gem, in the shadow of architectural marvels. It was frequented by the literary giants of all times. Inside, serpentine stairways connected several floors, filled with bookshelves, offering a nostalgic peek into the masterpieces that must have been inspired there.

I was about to become a witness to one such story.

As I sat down on a bench, to read from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a gentleman approached and asked if he could sit next to me. Space in the store was limited. 

We struck a conversation.

I inquired about his visit to Paris. “I  brought my parents for a farewell trip,” he said. I was intrigued and asked, “ a farewell trip?” He replied after a brief moment, “ my parents met each other for the first time in this bookstore, seventy years ago. It was love at first sight. They got married and after a few years moved to America. Now in their nineties and failing health, they realize that their journey together may not be long,” he continued,“ so, they wanted to say farewell to each other at the same place where they first met and fell in love.”

I saw an elderly couple approaching, they were holding hands and had a serene calm on their faces, like they had just completed a sacred ritual. There was a sense of peace and closure reflecting in their smiles. 

He stood up and the three of them walked out of the store. My heart melted. I sat there for some time, in the warmth of the moment.  

I visited Paris several times after that. Every time I go to Shakespeare and Company, I think about them. Their story inspired me to rethink farewells. No one can deny the pain of saying goodbye, but this too, like other moments in our lives, can be cherished and celebrated. I have shared this story to inspire others to revere every moment, even a farewell. 

Indeed, it was a farewell to remember.