Paris, tu me manques.

I started my first real blog in the summer of 2008, partly to compete with that of my dad, and partly because I was embarking on a study abroad in France. I knew there was going to be a lot I wanted to share with anyone who was willing to read. After just a few articles, blogging became a hobby for me. I starting thinking and experiencing in expository prose. I felt that everything I observed was so newsworthy. Which is not especially surprising, since little in life is more inspiring than the city of Paris.

When I returned to America, I decided to continue blogging. I was addicted. For the next two years, most of my pieces were inspired by my college (academic and social) life. This too, is not surprising. College was a whirlwind. Life was constantly changing and each day was an intellectual adventure for me. I didn't realize it at the time, but there are few other junctures in life when someone will spend three hours a week standing in front of you and sharing cool facts. Just, for your own knowledge. I definitely miss this type of learning, but perhaps it is not the most meaningful.

Yesterday, my friend was telling me about her weekend trip to D.C. It's so beautiful, and there is so much history there. It also reminded me how few U.S. President names I remember. At one point we had them all memorized! We reminisced about the many facts that we "learned" and knew so well for such a fleeting moment -- geometry formulas, poem titles and authors, obscure foreign language vocabulary lists. You know, all those "let me Google that for you" facts.

Recently, I mentioned to a friend that I was having trouble maintaining my blog. I need some inspiration, I complained. I miss learning cool new things everyday. My friend was taken aback. Really? You feel like you aren't learning? That bums me out for you.

The good news is, I'm still learning. But it's a different kind of learning. I'm learning functional skills that are applicable to my job. I'm learning more longstanding life lessons. Not those fast facts that are forgotten almost as quickly as they are learned. The few facts I do learn are not especially inspiring when it comes to a blog. My complaint should be rephrased: I miss learning cool new things that are interesting and relevant to a diverse set of people.

Last week, I had lunch with a new member of our team. We talked about everything under the sun, from past jobs to best friends. We talked about the importance of being surrounded by people you love wherever you are. We talked about the the impossible nature of replacing childhood friends. Having left an entire life behind in Brazil to move to America in her late twenties, she had a lot to contribute to the conversation.

Our discussion was especially meaningful to me. It reminded me that inspiration doesn't only come from topics or philosophical statements posed in a college lecture class. It comes from the people who surround you on a daily basis. And there's no shortage of people in my new world.

Neither learning nor being inspired is a passive activity. I accept that I have to actively pursue both (until I go back to school, at least!). Take your world, whatever or wherever it may be, and turn it into Paris. Because when you stop learning, you stop being inspired. And when you stop being inspired, you stop succeeding.