Deja Vu

This month has been a time of return, remembrance and renewal for Mia and me. We returned to Gordes, in Provence, a place of great peace and beauty for me. It was where I first felt healed from the trauma that had dominated our lives to that point, and it was where I felt a sense of profound pleasure, of great sensual delight for the first time in twenty-five years. And for the first time I realized that such things are not a luxury, they nourish us as much as food, air and sleep.

We are in Budapest for two weeks to visit my family, some of whom Mia is meeting for the first time, my great-niece and great-nephew (having a great-anything is a sobering thought.) We usually start each day at Nagycsarnok, the biggest indoor market in this part of the world, to buy some of the amazing produce grown in Hungary (and a poppy seed pastry or two... or three.) It’s a beautiful glass and metal building with a soaring ceiling, reminding us that this is very much a nineteenth-century city, complete with several structures designed by Gustav Eiffel and wrought ironwork that is a national treasure (or should be considered so, it might nudge the city to restore more of it.)

Mia took a two-day side trip to Brno, in the Czech Republic, to spend the night in what was once Morava, the school/facility where she herself first began to heal. Of course, she was forced to go (by yours truly) and it was a lock-down facility (so she couldn’t run away for the fifth time,) but it was where she first learned to love herself again. It’s now a small resort/pensione, but the cook you read about in the book, Francesca, is still there and made Mia the same lunch she used to make the girls. She also got to spend the night in her old room, in her old bed. It was a very significant trip for her, nostalgic, bittersweet and delightful in its way. She’ll post about it later this week

Comments

[Di]

I would love any suggestions you have re: Provence. We are going to Paris because my husband is running the Paris Marathon in April 2009 and we are going to travel some in France and into northern Italy.

[Kit and Joanne]

Hi Claire and Mia
We have a number of pictures of you two and would like to get them to you. Please email us.
Enjoy the rest of your time in France.
Kit and Joanne

[Jeanne]

Love and hugs and smiles across the miles.
Love to you both.
Jeanne

[Jeanne]

Please take lots of pictures of Budapest for me. My Grandmother was from there and it is so sacred for me.
Tell me all about the life there.
I hunger for every word.
I am glad you are healing.
Love Jeanne ^j^

[sue]

This sounds like a great trip for both of you. Mia, I can't imagine how you felt going back there. Just this post took me back to that place in your book. Wow. Glad you both continue to heal and travel and write. What ends up on paper when the two of you grow and change is a blessing to all of us! Sending you love.
Sue

[Patty Gunn]

Mia, how's it going? I miss you and would love to hear of your adventures. My "oldest" never keeps me abreast of the present, so a note from you would be at treat.

Patty the Fun Gal

pgdm@lycos.com

PS The mask is awsome.

[Jodi Campbell]

Claire and Mia -

Recently some KidsPeace employees asked about both of you, how you are doing, etc. Your presentation last fall is still making its mark here - I'm sure you're happy to know. I tell them all that you are both wonderful and working in France. So glad to hear you are having such a lovely time.

Take care both of you - much love,
Jodi

[Kristin Ramos (York)]

Reading your book was amazing!  I round myself crying Many times. It is funny that we all feel the same way and go through the processes of changing. I remember how rebellious I was when I first got to Carolina Springs (the first program I went to). I was devastated and mad at my parents. I later went to Spring Creek after I had turned 18. I ended up graduating and just before we left I was voted up to level four. Even years after my graduation I was mad at my parents for sending me since I missed a real graduation and prom, but after reading "Come Back" I realize that some of my best memories were made in that valley of mountains.  I remeber when I told Chaffin I was going to take my exit plan. He was pissed and I thought he was going to kill me. LOL. I chickened out and started all over again. I took advantage of my parents and to this day I wonder what it would have been like if I had acted differently before I was sent to the program. I accepted everything after o graduated in 2001, but in 2004, the year Mia graduated from college my dad died of cancer. We got through all of the crap we went through and then he died. I am having a hard time getting over that and it has been five years. I wish there was a Spring Creek for 26 year olds. When I finished your book I wished it went on for ever. It felt so good to be able to relate to you Mia and to understand what my mom and dad went through, like you Claire. I hope you write back to me. There really isn't any I have ever been able to talk to about my experiences 8 years ago. I will be looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you. Kristin (York). :)