At the end of a three day stay in Cassis, a colourful village in the south of France, my AirBnB host and I were sitting at her kitchen table, having tea, and sharing stories about our lives. At some point she asked me if I had children, and seeing as the question seemed weighed down by pro-natalist expectations, I thought it would be a good idea to lower my head a little (just so) after I said no. There was a brief pause, after which my rebellious streak won over: returning my head to its previous position, I looked at her in the eyes with a no-nonsense look… “And you?”
A little surprised at my shift in attitude, she answered in the affirmative, and told me that her son inspires her to be a more empathetic person. I liked her stories about him, and it’s always nice to know about happy family relationships. I said something to this effect.
My host was a nice person who hadn’t travelled recently. She couldn’t afford to. I was a window into an Australian living a different kind of lifestyle, my personality shaped by a variety of globe-trotting adventures which I draw upon for personal development, self-care, education, entertainment, and more. When I left I thought I could see some envy in her eyes, even though I must confess I envied her in turn - Cassis is a charming place to live.
Anyway, as I write I am in a cosy hotel room in Torino (Turin, Italy). I’ve been in Europe for about six weeks, and in the last two weeks I dived into a southern French adventure, admiring the art and architecture of Marseille, Cassis, Aix-en-Provence, Arles and Carcassonne.
My slow travels are emerging now, as I get ready to spend my fifth night in Torino, reasserting my need for beautiful surroundings and intriguing masterpieces.
I am where I want to be, and that does not involve making babies. My body is benefitting from delicious culinary offerings, walking around streets once new but now increasingly familiar, and relaxing in my room when I’m interacting with my friends, family, or writing a piece like this blog post.
The life I find most meaningful - a life of regular travel - isn’t a life I could lead if I were to be responsible for a young person. I am grateful for my ability to choose who I want to be, and I choose to be childfree every time.
