Feeling Beautiful

Lately as my life has been turned topsy turvy I've been thinking a lot about what keeps me going in life. I have an amazing life and I have been blessed with many opportunites and gifts. I've usually been able to have confidence in almost area of my life except one... relationships.
I feel like I am a cute girl, but guys don't often see me, I mean really SEE me. I am the consummate friend, confidante, casual double date, someone to go to movies with... the list goes on and on. I can count on my hand the times in my life when someone has made me feel beautiful and feminine.
Last summer I went to Europe. It was an amazing trip and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to go. Some things happened right before I left that caused my confidence to drop to a new low. I left the country with a lot on my mind and hoping to find peace.

The third day we were in Paris, we went to the  Musée d'Orsay, an art museum in Paris. I was feeling pensive, loneliness and despair. I left Brandi and Amy to wander alone in the museum (I love doing this, it allows me to fully soak in the experience.) I came across this sculpture-

I was struck by the emotion I felt when looking at it. It seemed to perfectly describe what I was feeling in my heart. I stood there for a few moments, just allowing myself to feel. While I was standing there, a man approached me and said "Sprechen sie Deutsch?" I looked up and saw an attractive man probably in his mid thirties standing there. I was confused why he was asking me in German if I spoke German, so I nodded my head no. He then asked, "Parlez-vous français ?" I said "No". He then asked if I spoke English. I said yes that I was an American. He proceeded to ask me more about myself (apparently he has once gone on a trip to Southern Utah). He was very friendly and kind and I felt very comfortable around him. He asked me my name and told me that his name was Adele. He stopped talking for a moment and just told me that I was beautiful. There was nothing creepy about it and it made me feel wonderful. I smiled and said thank you. We continued talking for a bit, then he stopped and told me I was mysterious "Me?" I thought to myself "This awkward girl from Utah?? Mysterious? Me?" He then asked me how long I was going to be in Paris, he wanted to spend more time with me, I told him I was leaving that evening to visit Germany. He then gave me his e-mail address and phone number and asked me to contact him when I came back to Paris the next week. He then walked me to the front entrance of the museum where I was going to meet Brandi and Amy. He kissed my hand and bid me farewell and left. I watched him walk away- feeling lifted, beautiful and feminine.

A week later I was back in Paris- my friends wanted me to contact him. But I didn't want to ruin the moment I'd had. The moment where a stranger swooped into my life and made me feel alive and wanted. I never did contact him, I don't think I was supposed to.

But, thank you Adele. Thank you for lifting me from my sadness and seeing me in a way that I am rarely seen. For making me feel feminine, for making me feel beautiful. Thank you for that moment.