Paris, oh Paris. I mourn for those who died that night, for those who were injured, and for every single person in the city who is experiencing the trauma of these events. I wish there were something I could do to make the pain go away but sadly, pain exists. It’s our work to reconcile that pain with the love we feel for Paris.
Paris is a glorious hub of expression and freedom. For a long time, it’s been a place where people go to be free, to discover themselves and to express their truth. I have been leading annual creativity workshops for ten years in Paris, and it’s always a source of inspiration for me and my students.
Paris is a city of unstoppable beauty and grace, from the elegant Hausmann buildings and boulevards to the tiniest detailed swirl on a manhole cover.
And, Paris is also a city with a long history of violence, from the Bastille uprising to the French revolution to the Nazi occupation.
When I visit Europe, the history of intense violence there is always present alongside the beauty of the present day.
When I stroll through Paris, savoring the scents and sights, coming upon another plaque commemorating someone who was gunned down by the Nazis…violence and hatred are there.
When I zoom around the Place de la Concord on bike, my joy rides alongside the knowledge of the many people who lost their lives to the guillotine there.
This is our world. Unimaginable violence jockeying with glorious beauty. How do we reconcile the two?
My life’s work is devoted to helping people express what is inside them. To write books. To make art. To build businesses. My hope is that the creative work we do contributes to the side of the equation that is a force of good and light. That somehow, the doodles we make, the essays we write, the fictions we craft make this world a better place, even if we don’t know how exactly.
Paris is a magnet for people who come to express themselves. It’s beyond unfortunate that some people express themselves by harming others. Expressing ourselves at the harm of others is never okay. Bullying, domestic abuse, gun-wielding expression are not okay. They are the lowest form of expression, expression that exists only in its ability to debase others.
Paris, like all places, houses the good, the bad, and the truly ugly. I don’t know how to reconcile the violence with the beauty. I can only stand for love, beauty and the power of creative expression.
Stand with me. Express yourself. Express your truth. Express your love. Peace.
Thank you for this thoughtful post Cynthia. Paris has been ” home ” for me and my family for decades, no matter where we happened to be. The tragedy of Fridays events rocked our world to its core. Until contact was made we worried about my daughter (who actually does live there now) and many other friends and family members who were out and about enjoying their Friday night. Fortunately no one in our large circle was harmed.
An outcry of solidarity rang loud and fierce almost immediately through our Paris, France and the entire world: “We will not bend to this horror. We will not hate. You will not intimidate us” and so it is in Paris. Courage above all. Courage to withstand. Courage to be defiant. Courage, beauty, love and creative expression stand together within us all. We must never forget that… thank you for the heartfelt reminder. <3
Thank you for sharing this, Zabie! I am glad your peeps are okay. I hope you have ways to feel and express all the emotions that surface at a time like this.
I am happy to see the French rise up – typical of them to be stubborn and to not be cowed. This will hopefully help with a sense of solidarity beyond race and background.
Sending love and support to you and yours.
This essay is a powerful reminder to seek beauty and remember it does make a difference.
Thank you, Mary. It helped me to write it.
Keep being a difference maker and raising the flag of love, beauty and art.
Cynthia,
This is so beautifully written. Thank you for expressing your thoughts.
Often, in times like this, it is easy to think our creative pursuits are unimportant.
It is good to be reminded that we need to continue to bring our expression into the world. That it is needed; for us, for others, and as an example to keep going.
There will always be a mix of sadness and joy in our personal lives as well as in the world, and sometimes it is good to remember that our joyful expressions can be a gift to others when they need it most.
Thanks, Sally
Thank you, Sally! It’s so true, sometimes I wonder how my art and writing are making a difference. But I – and we – have to believe that our creative expression is a force for the good. And that good starts with us.
And it’s so true – our emotions are a potent blend that can both stop us and spur us on. I am glad you are spurred on!
Thanks again for commenting. I appreciate hearing your voice here.