Image by Feuillu via Flickr
It is the season of giving thanks to those who surround us in our daily lives and help us through it. Not to mention those who live far away and support us through their thoughts and good energies, the conversations we have, and the letters or emails they send. To the people who don't even know they make a difference in our lives, but lend a hand when we have fallen down or smile when we feel alone and scared.
Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. --Mark Twain
In this season of hope, and families and friends coming together to find common ground and rejoice with each other, I would like to give big joyous thanks, music dancing and wings of angels fluttering!
I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.
--e.e. cummings
That yes is crucial to open doors, move forward, and live with vitality and meaning.
NEWS I am thankful for:
In Arkansas Life: My piece (that is part of an unpublished book) called "Round Yellow Table," which describes the joy--with juicy descriptions--my family took in our mama's good meals. To find the piece, turn the digital magazine pages until you get to Page 48. The story follows. I am thankful for my family, and my wish is to see this book in print soon.
In Marco Polo Quarterly: My piece "Looking for Francois Truffaut." Paris is a city rich in beauty, culture, and interesting and accomplished characters in every field. I took myself on a Truffaut film marathon, and then wandered around Paris searching for the brilliant filmmaker. If you haven't seen Truffaut's films, I heartily recommend them. If you have, take a look again.
NO COUNTRY FOR YOUNG WOMEN, a multimedia project striving to connect women across generations and nationalities on the topic of their careers, published a written interview with me. You can find it here. These young women are trying to make a feminist global difference.
Recommended by Concierge.com and the L.A. Times, travel website Tripbase listed me as one of their "100 Favorite Travel Writers." I am delighted--and took this as high praise, since I consider my beat culture in general (and anything else I want to write about)! Here's what they said:
Beth is arguably the most prolific, and best, blogger currently active within the fine city of Paris. Her exploration of all things Parisienne is highly engaging and punctuated with some amazing images and great guest articles - a must-read for fans of culture.
I know there were other things I wanted to mention, but they've flown out of my head! C'est la vie.
Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.
Image via Wikipedia
Some of the PEOPLE I am thankful for:
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my terrific colleagues, who were also mentioned by Tripbase above! They have each contributed beautifully to "Letter From Paris" with their own takes on this amazing city in which we all live. They give wonderful slices of Paris life in their chosen fields. A toast with much love and respect to:
Paul Paradis, Paris Art Market Buzz, and my first columnist! No one covers the decorative arts like Paul or can write about it with such insight, knowledge, and gossipy goodness.
Des Coulam, The Sound Hunter, who has spent a lifetime loving the sounds in this world and collecting them--and now is curating the sounds of Paris for us. Marvelous to experience Paris in this way!
Mario C. Servan, Paris EyePhone. Mario is iPhone Photographer and Traveling Economist, who has an eye for detail wherever he goes and records it for us. Seeing the world through Mario's lens is stepping through his looking glass!
Philippe Perisse de Montchenu, Paris Fashion Report. Philippe is one fab Fashion Reporter and Consultant, whose enthusiasm and editorial eye are apparent in all of his columns! The boy's got fashion game, which he delights us with!
Louise Brody, ParisTypes, who has given us the element of graphic coolness. It is to our good fortune that Louise sees letters and shapes everywhere in Paris--and presents them to us so cleverly, with intelligence and style!
Charles Poisay, Paris Gaps, who knows the Paris that most of us pass by. Charles is an award-winning architect, who looks at the spaces of Paris with an eye to how we move throughout our space!
And for the woman who makes it all happen! Eve Grinstead started as my intern early in the fall, and I wonder what I ever did without her! Eve wrangles all the editors and columnists listed above, while pursuing her Master's Degree and giving tours of Paris. Eve is basically our Managing Editor, and we are ever grateful for all she does with such good spirit, intelligence, and perceptive eye.
I am so grateful to you all and for all your good work!
"Gratitude is the memory of the heart." --French proverb
Last of all, I'd like to express my thanks to you, our readers. We are happy that you're here--and hope that you'll continue coming back.
Here's to you, kids! We do it all for you.
---Beth Arnold in Paris
