Paris, France

Paris is often referred to as the City of Lights and the City of Love, and I believe those stereotypes to be true. The most surreal and magical night of my life happened while in Paris, and I feel so lucky to have been able to experience it.

I’m all about chasing experiences that make me feel truly alive. I want my time on Earth to feel valid…like it actually happened. I don’t want my life to pass me by like it’s a movie; living as though you’re a character in a storyline is such a short on your personality. It makes me feel like I’m selling myself to an audience, which is a waste of living. So when I find these small moments in my life that make me feel whole and happy, I try to fully feel the wonder of the moment. These nights are few and fleeting; therefore, it’s incredibly important to allow yourself to live entirely in that adventure.

I was fortunate enough to experience a couple of “Hey, Sheaffer, this is your life! YOU ARE ALIVE” moments while in Paris, but the most amazing of all was actually a simple one. It was a Saturday night and I was with three other girlfriends. It was our first night in France (ever) and, between the four of us, we collectively knew about 10 French phrases. Unsure of where to go or what to do, we made a split second decision to jump in a cab and ride to the Eiffel Tower. As none of us had ever seen it before, we figured it was a solid place to begin our trip.

As we drove up to the tower, we saw hundreds of people out. There were locals and tourists, all collecting at this one beautiful landmark. Our cabbie blasted ‘I Want to Dance with Somebody’, and the four of us sang our hearts out as the Eiffel Tower appeared. We serenaded others on the streets around us and felt obnoxious, but very happy and full of adrenaline. The Tour Eiffel did not disappoint.

We hopped out of the cab and were shocked at the size of the tower. It was completely lit up and reminded me of a metal Christmas tree. It was breathtaking. We bought four crepes (which was pretty touristy but, hey, sometimes you have to grasp your tourist roots) and wandered until we found ourselves in a small park directly under the tower.

The only light in the area came from the tower itself. Although there were benches around us, we pulled out our two bottles of wine, grabbed our crepes, and laid on the ground beneath the tower of light. For a while (almost an hour) we laid on the cold, hard ground, completely mystified by our fortune. None of us could believe that our lives would lead us to each other and to this moment. We talked about love, as you do in the City of Love, life, and our futures, which are pretty daunting topics, but felt manageable underneath our giant tower.

Without warning and without any of us knowing, the Eiffel Tower began to sparkle. Literally, it began twinkling like a star. I was again reminded how alive I am and how wonderful life can be. The lights sparkled and reflected off all the buildings surrounding us, which made it seem as though the buildings and the giant metal tower were alive too. It was a surreal moment that firmly connected me to the world around me. We were not alone and everything was beautiful.

In a moment like that, which was simple but eye-opening, I was able to fully understand why the people of Paris have such pride in their city. This beacon of light is a reminder of how amazing the small moments of our lives can be. The French should absolutely relish in the extravagance of the Eiffel Tower, because it has the ability to make everything around it feel extravagant too.

After laying on the freezing ground for a few hours (and watching the tower twinkle a couple more times) the four of us finally got up to leave. We grabbed our empty bottles, began singing ‘I Want to Dance with Somebody’, and danced like idiots. I felt lighter than air but also really full at the same time. The magic of the City of Lights can do that to a person, I think.

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