the pillow from paris

i loved madrid. but i slept badly there. partly because there were four people in one not-very-big room. but mostly due to a previous neck injury. it was the first city on our six-week european trek. and i already missed my pillow. by paris, i had decided enough was enough. i must have a better pillow. one that i could choose on my own. one that i could carry with me for the rest of the journey. and in the search for my new pillow, i realized something. i realized i had the power to change my circumstances.    

    from paris on, i carried that pillow with me everywhere. from hotel room to airbnb apartment to relatives' homes. dozing on it in the car, dropping it in the rome subway station. eventually cramming it in my suitcase for the return flight. i still sleep on the pillow from paris at home base. i still bring it on road trips, long and short. and perhaps i'll pack it for my next international trip this fall. it wasn't the most expensive pillow. and it certainly isn't the most attractive pillow. but the pillow from paris has come to signify more. more than just comfort for my tired body. more than just a soft place to rest my head. more than just a guaranteed good night's sleep.     the pillow from paris is a tangible reminder. a reminder of all that is important to me in my life. as i've mentioned before, i am not a settled person. i get very restless whenever i'm in one place too long. and i haven't ever put roots down anywhere. the pillow from paris helps to bridge my two worlds.     when i'm traveling, it's a reminder that comfort can come from small things. no matter where i am, i can create a sense of home. foreign cities, foreign countries, foreign languages. but familiarity as well. the rituals i can reproduce anywhere. the pillow from paris. when i'm at home base, it's a reminder of the adventurer in me. no matter how long the in-between resting phase, i can find joy in my surroundings. familiar rooms, familiar routines, familiar faces. but foreignness as well. the souvenirs i've incorporated into my belongings. the pillow from paris.     and as i lay my head down on the pillow from paris each night, i smile. i dream of what's to come. knowing that the future will contain elements of both excitement and coziness.    

conforme aux exigences = meets the requirements.

(yes. it does.)     what object reminds you of the where-my-heart-is definition of home? share this tangible expression of your life with me in the comments.         [maxbutton id="1"]