Bonjour,
I hope that you and yours are well.
First, a big thank you for all the emails I received last week in response to my newsletter about my accidental new life in France, a journey which began 20 years ago, such lovely messages. My nonagenarian neighbour Marie-Therese who is the wisest woman in the village, says that there are more good people than bad in the world or else we would not still be here, and when I read her some of your messages, she says that I am one of life鈥檚 fortunate people because I have surrounded myself with good people, far and wide, even though we may never meet in person.
Normally in spring, a village party is held to celebrate Marie-Therese鈥檚 birthday, organised by her daughter Bernadette and son-in-law Jean-Claude but this year it has been delayed. Jean-Claude is unwell and confined to bed for 4 weeks after an operation, so we are aiming to hold it in the summer when he鈥檚 up and about and I鈥檒l tell you more about it when it happens! For now, I鈥檇 like to share something she said at her 86th birthday party and for me prove why she is known as a wise woman.
鈥業鈥檝e lived all of my life here in this village, all of my years in the house where I was born, where I lived with my beloved parents when I married, brought my daughter into the world and said goodbye for now to my darling husband. I have lived through war and through occupation. I鈥檝e witnessed huge change in this little village over the years: television, telephones, electricity in all our houses. I鈥檝e not travelled far; I鈥檝e never been to Paris. But everything I hold dear is here in this village and that has never changed. I have reached this grand age, and if you will permit an old lady to share what she has learned, it is this: don鈥檛 waste time on things that don鈥檛 matter, try not to spend too much time on things you don鈥檛 enjoy and remember that today is the most important day of your life, for yesterday is over and tomorrow is yet to come. The most important thing in life is love. It is a wonderful thing to be loved 鈥� and better still to love…鈥�
Best wishes and bisous from France,
Janine
Editor
Janine Marsh is Author of听听听and听听all available as ebook, print & audio, on Amazon everywhere & all good bookshops online. Her new book听听鈥� a celebration of the French lifestyle and听art de vivre, is out now 鈥� a look at the French way of life.
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