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I have been so touched by the generosity of spirit found here on the French Riviera, that I wanted to write about the support of strangers. I don’t know why it surprises me, it just does. I am constantly amazed by people’s generosity of spirit, and with the love in which they give it to total strangers.
Alice isn’t the only stranger who reaches out to help,
Anna and Graham from the Riviera Woman website have also helped me no end, without ever meeting me. We did finally meet in Monaco a few weeks ago, and I have been so touched by their generosity of spirit that I wanted to write about the support of strangers.
The Exhibition I had in Nice last year was held in an Interior Designers work shop: a friend of mine had shown her my paintings, and Danielle, offered me her space for two weeks, simply because she loves art and wants to support artists.
Anita from the Var Village Voice, before she met me helped me. I wrote articles for her monthly magazine; since then we have become friends and she continues to help in all the ways she can.
I don’t know why it surprises me, it just does. I am constantly amazed by people’s generosity of spirit, and with the love in which they give it to total strangers.
Years ago in 1985, I came to France fleeing England and a broken heart; I arrived in Monaco with 100 francs heading for a job on a boat. It was a total disaster, and a woman who had only met me once put me up on her couch until I could sort something out and get another job. I had been given the number of some people in St Tropez, in case of disasters, by a friend of mine. I had never met them or talked to them. I phoned them from Carol’s flat, they said ‘come on down, we can put you up, get you part time work cooking and cleaning in Villas, welcome to the family’ they said. How could these people just let me into their lives like that, I wondered, but I went and I stayed. I adored them and really did become part of the family. I did all sorts of odd jobs, besides working as a chef in one of those beach restaurants. Eventually I got a job on a sailing boat, and sailed away into the wide world of adventure, fun and madness, storms, deep-sea diving, tropical sunsets, giant tortoises, sharks, colourful parrots, and all sorts of escapades.
I settled in 1992 in St Agnes, a beautiful perched mountain village, overlooking Menton - the villagers were sceptical at first, but it didn’t take them long to warm to me. I became the village mascot! They looked after me as one of their own, and I will miss them forever: I was cherished by even the most grumpy of the village women, sometimes the most grumpy are the ones with the largest, kindest heart, which they are apt to hide with a snarl or a sneer here or there, or a disgruntled grunt - I love those women!
Since then kindness has been constant, support has been constant, people love to be able to give, if you give them half a chance. I remember years ago a friend of mine chiding me, ‘Tess you have to learn how to receive’. I guess I didn’t feel that it was right for people to give to me, particularly people I didn’t know; now I understand the gift of giving. I love to be able to reach out and give a helping hand; there is a spiritual aspect to it as well as a happy and contented feeling. I am so glad I learned how to receive, I am so glad I can accept the support of strangers. Joy fills my heart with love when I think of the endless gifts of support and encouragement I have been given, not just from my friends and family but from people who have never met me and don’t know me.
Thank you to all of you.
© Tessa Nelson 2009
Note from the editor: Tessa Nelson is a professional and accomplished classically trained private Chef à Domicile. She specialises in organising bespoke, tailored parties from a romantic dinner for 2 to an entire wedding. Click here to visit her website.
