When Love Sang in Paris

Perfume and Love

“ Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high

There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true”

I visited Paris for the first time in February 2011. I felt lucky to be there and even luckier that the weather was so special. For five days, it was perfect. “ Did the city prepare herself ( because I always see Paris as a woman) for my visit???” My ego used to whisper in my ears while walking in the streets. The city seemingly had taken a spring break between two winters. The Parisian sky was so blue. The Seine River was also blue. Under the yellow sun, even the Eiffel Tower was blue, and the blue melodies of thousands of accordions were palpitant with love, harmony, and beauty.

This song (somewhere over the rainbow) by Israel Kamakawiwoale was all over. The song could be heard during breakfast at Concorde La Fayette Hotel ( where I stayed), while walking along Avenue des Champs-Élysées, and even in souvenir shops near the Louvre Museum.

“ Someday I’ll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far behind me Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That’s where you’ll find me”

Throughout that blue city, I saw many billboards advertising the new perfume Bleu (blue) de Chanel. The curiosity that killed the cat led me to a beautiful perfumery for more information. As I entered, I was greeted again with ( Somewhere over the rainbow), a huge smile by a salesperson, and Bonjour. Finding out that the top notes of the perfume were citrus and mainly lemon, my favorite fragrance, was a wonderful discovery. Between myself and Bleu de Chanel, it was love at first sight or a better term would be the first drop.

“ Well, I see trees of green and Red roses too I’ll watch them bloom for Me and you And I think to myself What a wonderful world”

The beauty in Paris was everywhere, but it was so hard to walk alone there. The heart of romanticism lies and beats in Paris. There is no way to not be romantic there. It goes against nature and the vibes of the place. There has never been a time in my life when I wanted to be in love more than during my hours and minutes in Paris. My nose was filled with lemon fragrance and the blue dew surrounded me like blessings, but my hand was alone in search of another hand to hold, accompany, and love. This scene reminded me of many paintings by Salvador Dali in which yellow and blue were so dominant.

It was very true what Ernest Hemingway ( who lived for some time in Paris) said: “ There are only two places in the world where we can live happy — at home and in Paris.”

As the war in Syria broke out in March 2011, all thoughts of love, happiness, and progress shrank, and survival became the only theme in my life “ novel”. After fleeing my beloved country, I started my small steps under a different sky.

In the Netherlands, I moved between several cities and many houses, and it took me a long time to rebuild my life and gather the pieces of the puzzle of my torturing soul. Love was a dreamland that I didn’t want to search for. It is said by Sufis that “ a master will appear when the student is ready”. I focused on developing myself in order to become worthy of meeting my new-old master: Love.

After weeks of consecutive snows, life decided to take from its closet a beautiful rainbow that resisted leaving its throne in the kingdom of the sky in February 2021. Life also took from its closet a beautiful red rose and placed it in my hand on the morning of San Valentine.

“ Somewhere over the rainbow Bluebirds fly Birds fly over the rainbow Why then oh why can’t I?

If happy little bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why oh why can’t”

In February 2021, I was no longer the man I used to be in 2011, but I still retained traces of him: the same perfume (Bleu de Chanel), more white hairs, and more wisdom of war, trauma, homesickness, and books.

Love was in the air.

Voila….

Under the blue sky, I saw my dream woman. As I walked towards her, someone whispered in my ear “And the dreams you dare to dream really do come true.” At that moment, I was not in Paris, but I am sure that blue Paris was in me. It shined inside me while the drops of lemon fell on the marble of my spirit.

Subhi Najar is an Alchemist of words, Little Prince, Public Speaker, storyteller, content Creator, and war survivor.

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