Friday, September 25, 2009

Romance in France

Kerry MacGregor is a 33 year old reporter for the Toronto Star who is skipping town to embark upon a romance in France with a university professor she dated for nine days. Is she crazy, or crazy romantic?

I'm not sure how I feel about her decision, and I think that movies have something to do with it. I'm a pretty adventurous and impulsive person (I have been known to move to another country on a whim--for real--although it wasn't for love, and I did have a concrete time-line of when I was coming back), but I don't know if I would do it for a man. Part of it is that the whole idea sounds like the plot of a cheesy romantic comedy a la French Kiss--would I want my life to resemble a Hollywood cliche, as much as the idea sounds exciting? It would be nice to say that I don't give a damn about what the world thinks of me, but on some level I do. If I didn't, I probably wouldn't brush my hair and would wander around in my jammies all day. I think the other part is perhaps a bit of cynicism on my end, which I hate to think I have, but I'm sure I do: what happens if it doesn't work out, which statistically it won't, and you have to come to no job and no apartment with a broken heart? Is it worth it to take that risk?

On the other hand, wouldn't you regret it more not to have seized the opportunity, disastrous as it might be? In the end, I think that's what would make me decide to do what Kerry is doing--if I didn't, I would always wonder "what if," and it would drive me nuts. There's also this: as much as I'm a rational and realistic woman, I do, and forever will, believe in love--the kind that's real, that changes lives, that makes you try to be a better person, that will be work but that will last. It might be a myth created by diamond companies and Hollywood studios (oh, and Harlequin romances, which are published in my fair city) and religous doctrines that espouse monogamy, but I can't help believing in it just the same, cynicism be damned. And even if everyone thought I was nuts, which they surely would, I think the possibility of real love might just be worth crossing an ocean for. I'm not a proponent of happiness at any cost, but I do think that we all have the right, and the responsiblity, to make ourselves as happy as we can without turning into selfish jerks; flying to France to take a chance on a relationship doesn't sound like it violates that criteria to me.

I don't know if my response would be the same as Kerry's if it were me; it's not me, it probably never will be, and so I won't know. It's a big chance to take, and I'd be leaving a lot behind. But it's nice to think that there are still people in the world, as messed up as it is, who are willing to trust and take chances, as risky as that might be. Good luck!

1 comments:

Viajera said...

Yes, I would DEFINITELY regret it if I didn't go. No kids, friends and family that she can exchange visits with... Why not?

If it doesn't work out, she can always come back to Canada...With a really kick-ass story to tell! ;)