Paris, 1832.
It has been a long time since I have done one of these. It has been a whole year. It should be easy, but I struggle to find the words even as I begin.
I want to talk about life. Over the last year, I have tried to take in as many different corners of life as I can. I try to read as many fiction books as possible to balance my STEM job. Having said that, my first half of the year was spent solely reading Les Miserables.
What I love the most about Les Miserables is that it truly encapsulates all aspects of life. Fantine's suffering in poverty whilst having a child to protect. Javert's commitment to the law conflicted with the knowledge of what his heart believes is right. Marius's youthful rebellion grows into protest against the establishment. The pure love that emanates from Cosette. And Jean Valjean's guilt and philanthropy and rage and joy.
Les Miserables taught me a lot about living life.
June Rebellion of 1832
This year, for me so far, has been defined by Paris. I spent the first half of the year living in Paris, in 1832. I walked the streets of Saint-Denis. I strolled through the Luxembourg garden, infatuated by growing older. I lived in Montparnasse, watching the revolution through my window.
I have spent some actual time in Paris throughout the year. I physically walked through the Luxembourg Gardens, imagining how it would have been when Victor Hugo imagined Marius and Cosette sharing a look as they passed each other.
Paris is the embodiment of life all-encompassing. In 'The Life Impossible' by Matt Haig the Spanish word "duande" is brought up. Whilst I've been assured in normal language a duende is a mythical creature, Haig talks about how poet Federico García Lorca describes duende as an enhanced emotion*. To listen to a song or watch a film or see an artwork and have a sudden wave of emotion come over you, whether it's beautiful or sorrowful or anything else. For me, this is easy to find in the Lourve.
In the Lourve, there are people who stand and look at one painting for minutes; there are people who use a painting as a backdrop for their Instagram; there are those who want a glance at the celebrity that is Mona Lisa; there are those who genuinely want to appreciate Da Vinci's woman; there are those who get annoyed people aren't looking at the painting opposite her (The Wedding Feast at Cana by Paolo Veronese).
How it feels to be Mona Lisa
The class disparity is evident nowhere more than in Paris. Just like Fantine, there are people on the streets desperate for help whilst around the corner is a mile of luxury stores. Whilst sitting in a bar by Notre Dame, we saw a monk with a Sephora bag. You can see all of human civilization in Paris.
I don't know when I will do another one of these. I can't quite believe it has taken me a whole year since the last one. I think the point I have been trying to make is that there is a lot of life to live, and you must allow yourself the time to feel it all.
*In all of Matt Haig's books, he manages to get his thoughts on life across in non-judgemental, therapeutic ways. If you aren't familiar with his work, treat yourself.