There are moments in life when everything feels like it has come full circle. When a dream you once whispered to the universe suddenly takes shape before your eyes, a dream that never really leaves you but lives quietly in the corners of your heart, waiting patiently, tenderly for the day it’ll finally be seen in the light of reality.
For me, that dream was Paris.
Years ago, when I was sitting in my undergraduate French class, conjugating verbs and stumbling over accents, I used to daydream about walking down the cobblestone streets of Paris. I remember imagining myself standing beneath the Eiffel Tower, that symbol of beauty, romance, and resilience, feeling the cool Parisian breeze and hearing the language I was learning being spoken all around me. Back then, it felt like a faraway dream, something tucked safely in the corner of my heart, waiting for its turn to come true.
And now, it’s happening.
In just a few days, I’ll be boarding a flight to France, not as a student daydreaming from a classroom, but as someone who has been given the incredible opportunity to travel for an event and see the world I once only imagined. To say I’m overwhelmed would be an understatement. I’m overjoyed, grateful, and in complete awe of how life works how quietly, in its own time, it brings back the things we once longed for.
But the magic doesn’t end there. This journey is taking me beyond France to Spain and Tunisia as well. Three countries, each with its own soul, its own rhythm, and its own stories waiting to be discovered. From the timeless romance of Paris to the passionate vibrance of Spain and the sun-soaked heritage of Tunisia I can’t help but feel like the universe has conspired to give me this chapter exactly when I was ready for it.
I keep thinking about that younger version of me sitting by a window, scribbling in notebooks, dreaming in French. I wish I could tell her that all those dreams weren’t just wishful thinking. That life has its way of listening — even when it seems quiet. That the things you manifest with love and hope often return to you in the most unexpected, beautiful ways.
As I pack my bags, I’m carrying more than just clothes and travel essentials I’m carrying gratitude. Gratitude for every person, moment, and opportunity that brought me here. Gratitude for the chance to see the world through my own eyes and not just through pictures or postcards. Gratitude for growth, patience, and faith.
Here’s to dreams that take years to unfold.
Here’s to moments that remind us how far we’ve come.
And here’s to Paris—the city that once lived in my imagination and now, in just a few days, will live in my memories forever.
With love,
Monideepa
