On Finding Your Rhythm (Again)

After a catch-up with an old Paris roommate, I realized how rare—and profound—it is to find a life that moves at your own pace.

I was catching up with my old roommate from Paris the other day—Ali. We met when we were both 23, sharing a three-bedroom apartment along the Canal St. Martin in the 10th arrondissement with a French girl and her boyfriend. She was Anglo-Canadian, from Montreal, and spoke perfect French. Her mom had lived there too, so she was raised bilingual. My colle…