It seems like people have been searching for buried treasure since the beginning of time. Pirates fought for it and developed legendary maps. People search garage sales, attics and basements looking for something that might be considered valuable on Antiques Roadshow. Clearly, and culturally, we all have a fascination with discovering a 'great deal.'
This past summer I was fortunate enough to travel to Paris and London with my older brother who happens to be the North American President of a French company.
This was an awesome priviledge for me on many levels. Although my trip really only lasted for about six days, in my mind I go back there often. For me the cliche was true...I did find myself in Europe, but ironically I didn't know that I had been missing. However my brother had a sense of my level of exhaustion with the domestic duties I execute daily as a mother of three boys ages 3, 5 and 7. He also knew that in my suburban existence, I didn't and do not always have the chance to do things which I find mentally and intellectually stimulating. Between car lines, snacks, lessons and sports, meals, cleaning and laundry there is just not enough time in the day for ones own personal pursuits and development.
Furthermore, it is funny that my brother who is now a husband, father and executive and myself are in a similar place in life and can appreciate the responsibilities we each maintain. However, we were not always this mature. Since we were only a year-and-a-half apart, closeness in age was sometimes a source of acrimony. As teenagers we got on each other's nerves and there were resentments over lots of little things which are natural for siblings. Then, we deviated further as we made different choices concerning friends, colleges and careers. In fact, one of my brother's career choices sent him to Atlanta for nearly ten years and during this time we seldom spoke and saw each other mostly on holidays. Towards the end of our 'ten year Odyssey' we both were ultimately married and had children. So, when my brother moved back to New York from Atlanta four years ago, we were both new and different adults, both polished by life's refining fire.
Now, I can truly say my brother is one of my best friends and he and his family are a huge part of my life. It is amazing how intelligent, thoughtful and generous a person he is in addition to his strong and public business persona. I am really blessed to have my brother in my life, not because he took me on an amazing trip, but more because he knew I needed a break in general. It turns out that we are very much alike and share a similar outlook on life--we both choose to aspire to excellence because even if you do not always hit the mark at least in any case, it is better to get close than to be mediocre--After all you only go around once-
Finally, I look forward to watching our lives unfold and the lives of our children because that is the greatest treasure anyone can discover. So, I just want to wish my brother Jim all of the best on his 40th birthday today.
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What a great post, Grace. On my first trip to Paris to visit Rob, we went to dinner one night as our parents stayed home. It was 1994, and I had never flown before that trip; neither had either of my parents. But we had missed him so much and he had sent the tickets...and we went and my world changed. The most amazing discovery on that trip was that my brother, who is 14 years older than I, and had lived overseas for the vast majority of my lifetime, saw those years between us evaporate. No longer a third parent, we realized how very much alike we are, and how similar our tastes are, the joy we share in seeing spectacular architecture and reveling in beautiful music and art. Paris became our touchstone of closeness and understanding, the collapser of the years separating our ages. I think for you and Jim Paris also worked her magic, collapsing not years but life's paths...peeling down to the essence of our relationships with our ridiculously successful siblings...revealing their characters, their joys, their goodness..their beauty mirroring the city herself. I am looking forward to seeing the magic that Paris works on our friendship as well!!
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