My arrival in the Lyon felt like waking from a deep hibernation. I realized that for so long I had changed myself for others in pursuit of acceptance and perfection when all I needed to do was be myself. This quaint town was the perfect place to continue to reflect and to rebuild my identity. Being in a new space where I could sit comfortably with my thoughts gave me a chance to slow down and reevaluate who I truly was. I freed myself from self-inflicted pressures by finding a new sense of authenticity.
The freedom that I felt in the city of Lyon connects to what McAllister describes as the “liberating power of wide-open spaces" (227). When people are stuck in established places there is little room for creativity or alternative ways of thinking, and so it is clear that "without 'space' we cannot find ourselves or create ourselves.” (227).
For so long I had compared myself to others in pursuit of acceptance and perfection when all I needed to do was be myself. I finally moved forward to accept myself and stop striving for perfection; this resulted in my contentment, happiness and growth as an individual. I traveled through the rest of France joyously, without any concern about how I was perceived.
This moment relates directly to a section of McAllister's writing where he explains that the health of individuals and entire societies depends on the "exercise and expression of civic engagement” (225). Just like these processes that individuals and societies need to continually engage in to support their health, I needed to actively work to be the best version of myself.
