Setting the Scene – Stop reading this blog and pump Lorde’s “Perfect Places” on repeat, then come back to this blog post
PLACISM
/pleɪs//ˈɪz(ə)m/
noun
The mindset, philosophy, or perception of the world that focuses on where you are as the quotient of your happiness over all other things.
Confession. I have fallen prey to the above idea time and time again, whether it was before I came to London, when I was daydreaming about coming to London, or when I finally arrived and wanted to get a stamp of every European country on my passport.
But let’s take a moment.
I have been in London for almost seven weeks now, and this concept of placism has popped up at least once a day. I have talked about this with my best friend, who is with me here, and we have extensively discussed the treacherous nature of this philosophy.
We have realized that much of the danger comes from how closely this thought process is to a spirit of adventure. The latter is admirable, the former is unreliable, deceiving, and ultimately will rid anyone of their adventurous spirit.
But why is that thought so dangerous? The idea that one place might be better than another, or that the place could decide the level of happiness you experience is a tempestuous thing to rest upon. It changes with the temperature, the daily activities, your sleep level, and above all it is susceptible to this scary thing called “life.” Not to be overly dramatic, but a place will never be special for long, unless you have something more with you. At some point, life will come along and things start to get frustrating, inconvenient, and lackluster.
So, my friends, in the wise words of Lorde “What the {very common British expletive} are perfect places, anyway?”
There is no use trying to find a perfect place, because it doesn’t exist. The only way to truly live life fully in any place, whether it is a sad hotel room in London or on the Champs de Mars in Paris, is contentment (see Psalm 37:4, it’s a dope place to start). Add to that a good sense of humor, your spirit of adventure, and if you are lucky enough, a bomb travel friend who just happens to be a best friend, and there you have an unbeatable recipe for loving life wherever you are.
With Love From London,
Cat
