Instructions for a Heatwave

There was a space of 3 weeks between me deciding that now was the time to move to Paris and actually packing my bag and getting on the train. People have done things quicker than that. People have also been a lot slower. I remember changing my mind from New York to Paris as my desired destination after university. I remember discussing it with Charlie, about the pros of not needing a green card and the cons of speaking no French at all. The push towards the European continent had been influenced by an article I’d read in Vogue UK about a fashion event producer and his company based in Paris who was creating the most amazing shows and events. I was absolutely captivated and decided that I had to write and apply for an internship. A few days later I leant said magazine to one of my house mates and that was the last I ever saw of it. She must have lost it or left it somewhere in our house and I’d lost the article. I kept thinking about it, particularly whilst I was unemployed, and kept stamping my feet in frustration that I couldn’t remember the name of the man or the company and so was unable to apply. I assumed I’d lost the knowledge forever.

This week I have been working on our press kit at work, collating old articles and archiving them. And what did I find yesterday? March 2010 Vogue UK, there is an article on Alex and the company. The company that pushed me towards Paris. The company that I had dreamed about and thought of endlessly for 2 years. I got here subconsciously without even realising it, following an invisible thread gently pulling me along the journey I had wanted to take.

I read this quote from Maggie O'Farrell's Instructions for a Heatwave the other day and it seemed to fit perfectly:

"Odd that life can contain such significant tripwires to your future and, even while you wonder through them, you have no idea