Eyes open, I could not leave the bed for a long time this morning, sheets tossed aside, legs heavy but restless. Hungover from the news of Trump pulling the US out of the Paris Agreement, I just couldn’t move because I could not understand.
“Look, look!” I wanted to scream out into the air. “This is all so precious!” This life, this breath, this earth.
But I didn’t. I was silent and sinking. So I switched to automatic pilot, like we all can do at times, and I reached for my iphone. Good morning, Instagram.
And there, I found my French friends quoting the new president, Emmanuel Macron.
“Make our planet great again.”
“There is no plan B because there is no planet B.”
I listened to his speech and cried.
And then I got out of bed.
My camera is my witness, my words are my ally. I walked into the sun with both and this is what I am finding found. It is not anything revolutionary. Just some photographs taken by a lost girl on a bright provençal morning and phrases scribbled as the day goes to bed.
But I share them just in case you are lying down defeated too. Rise up.
We know the truth. And we can keep fighting to keep it.
(Look really closely. Can you see the tiny red spider in the crook of the “arm” hanging down?)
I love you, Mamma Earth. Be patient with us, please. We are young, and at times, still so foolish.
Here is a part of the speech that moved me so deeply.
For my friends in the States, if you would like, there is a petition to sign in protest: here.
It is up to us, friends. It is up to us.
With much Love and Gratitude,
Heather
I'm sorry I didn't post yet on this crazy beautiful post – the first time I was around I was too distracted at what appeared to be a bully in the comments section. (grrrrr – me shaking fist at internet bully). The first photo is breathtaking – all of them are! And there IS no planet B — wake up, people!!!! Thanks for your continuous efforts to remind us of beauty and gratitude – it is helping! We feel the love!
Hooray! Thank you, Kathy. And welcome!! 🙂
I just found your blog. Don't worry about those you lost; you speak for millions!
Me too, Janey. Sending a warm hug.
Exactly, Maria. And in the guise of "this will cost America too much" on top of it!
Thank you for your elegance and perspective, Edgar.
I agree with all that you have said Judi. And as Silke mentioned above, how important for us to protect our Earth for those little ones, such as your Grandson.
I was really touched by your comment here, Holly. Feeling bruised with you, unfortunately. And yet, yes, I do have hope in the likes of Macron standing up to a bully and a terror. I do.
Yes.
Yay for yoga!!! And thank you so much Silke, for this beautiful and from the heart response. I know how aware you are of the dangers sliding across our society and how much you love our Earth too. It also does me good to hear a bit of praise as well…I just looked at my statistics…And I have never come close to losing as many subscribers as I did with this post…
Every day I think well this has to be the worst….then another day comes and another. i wish it were just a nightmare..and. I could wake up. it is truly scaring me now Heather!….Janey
I am so angry… Its not their ignorance, it is their profit
Some have eyes and can not see. Some have ears and can not hear. We have to shoulder the burden. Their ignorance should not be our despair.
We have to work together to help the earth.
I still can't believe Trump's decision. I am still reeling, shaking my head, and very sad. I signed the petition and wrote quite a long comment – had a hard time stopping – just all spilling out about our beautiful planet, and our country. Your photos give us such a beautiful view of the world, it helps. I thought France's President Macron's speech was wonderful – made me want so much more from our president.
Plus … I think that's a different Patricia responding up there. But we both love you!
Never would you be considered a bad friend. There are more important issues at stake here. The reading was a blast.
It has been nearly two days since the announcement and I am still reeling but President Macron's words are like nectar for this bruised and battered American. I will look to him for leadership and hope from now on. Please continue to share your moving pictures and words from the country of sanity and beauty. Merci to all of France.
!!!!!!!!!!!!
These floating flowers belong to my favorites of your photography. Beauty is simple! And our earth provides so much beauty!
This post is an ode to our earth, an ode to our living environment and the love for it. I just simply don't understand how hate came into the comment section above?
Of course I saw Macrons speech yesterday too. And it is good that he has set that mark. But our planet is severely hurt. It is our duty to fight for its rescue. At least for our children and grandchildren. We destroy our own habitat. Is Homo Sapiens not so sapient? Not when it comes to sustainability, obviously. (And other things too of course) Its all about money and consumption. Isn't it?
Thank you Heather for posting these wonderful images and brave words. Though it seems hard these days to make yourself understood. And some topics evoke controversies that you never intended, that you never started. Merci de faire face au défi!
Talking about authors… I am reading right now Eribons "Retour à Reims". It tells a lot about how and why the far right is so successful in France. Very interesting.
So, we all hope that La République en Marche will be successful aux législatives that are about to come! Because only then Macron will be able to make a difference. (together with Germany and Europe hopefully)
Namaste! (from a newly formed yoga follower 😉
Love, Silke
Love you too, Patricia!! Even if I am a bad friend and completely forgot to write about your reading today!!!!
Friends, it is last minute to say the least but for those of you near Nice. There is a great reading featuring two of my favorite local authors!
Today from 3-5:30pm. I so wish I could be there!
You can find more info about it here: http://adrianleeds.com/events/conferences/meet-the-authors-in-nice
Love you Heather!!
You have already done so much good for so long, Joan. I will keep saying it: you inspire me!
No, I have quite a lot of courage actually.
There is no hate speech tolerated at Lost in Arles.
You are not welcome here.
Coward.
Me too. And I don't usually write so frankly. I'm all Peace Corps forward for decades! So I'm taking the night off, watch a BBC mystery, and start all over to be good and work for good in the morning.
Namaste! (this time with correct spelling)
Thank you, Gillian. 🙂
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You always have the exact right words. Every time.
Mahalo, mon ami.
great, informative reply…..thank you, and thank you for tghe links to the articles.
sincerely,
david terry
Made me sad, this.
Will definitely take a look at the article. Your point makes sense to me. And I guess my tactic is trying to suggest to folks what they actually have to loose. Am kind of saddened that might not be so evident. But there is power in that direction too. I hope.
But I will also not tolerate hate messages here (I am not talking about your comment but it did set off something with a comment that had to go).
Thank you, Laura.
Stay positive. 🙂
A somber day for the United States. Was in shock this morning, just as you were Heather. Thank you for your wonderful photographs, they truly speak volumes. I signed the petition and forwarded to several friends. We must keep our watch and do whatever we can to protect and preserve what this administration seems set out to destroy.
Angie, I hear you but that is not at all what I am writing/photographing about here today. What I am saying is positive and not devisive. For anyone.
People want to save the flowers but not take their own trash off the beach. We just enduring the oxymoronic Happy Memorial Day weekend at our Sarasota, Florida beaches. When I tell people I have not owned a clothes dryer since I moved to Florida they either don't believe me or think it is totally impossible…yes, here in sunny Florida. Yes, I live a condo w/o a back 40. Children must be dropped off at the very door of the school/schoolyard, not even a 10 minute walk away car park and cars must run engine/a/c as they wait to pick up same children. And they so love flowers buy Round Up etc to kill the weeds and everything else as rain washes it into stream, mangroves and the ocean. And my about average in so many ways county, voted for Trump abd then on to the galas for education, cancer, and sealife.
I didn't see it live but agree it is horrible. As were the hundreds of pictures of President Obama being hung, beaten, with a Monkey Head and worse. With very little outrage. And then there were the two nooses found in National Museum of African American History this week.
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Danny was a friend and colleague of mine. Yes, beheading jokes make me vomit.
Heather, your photos are beautiful and I agree 1000%.
I heard a very enlightening podcast, an interview with Katharine Hayhoe (if you want to google it the headline is A Christian Climate Scientist's Mission to Convert Nonbelievers). Here is the link: http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=319831143
Hayhoe's point is that people don't disagree about climate change; what they fight against tooth and nail is anything that feels like a decline in their standard of living. If they think they can have everything they have now, without pollution plus cheaper and perhaps better, then they are OK with fighting climate change.
It makes me realize that I can't tell people to do things for the good of the planet or humanity or future generations. Some people just don't care. They care only about themselves, now. So they need a different message. I think the way to succeed is to deliver on that message, that these selfish people can do things to reduce climate change without making personal sacrifice. Already, the economics are starting to bear it out. (See: another New York magazine article headlined "Everything Conservatives Said About the Paris Climate Agreeement Is Already Wrong": http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/06/everything-conservatives-said-about-paris-is-already-wrong.html
Well, the most potently wry comment concerning the Paris Agreement news came from the host of NPR's "Marketplace", who began, yesterday afternoon, with:
"Okay folks, how has Trump proved Bogie wrong?………yup, you guessed it……we will NOT always have Paris".
As for Kathie Griffin?… I never knew Daniel Pearl, but several of my friends were actual friends with him. We all know of the many other beheadings by ISIS, "DASH", whatever.
I saw the Griffin Potograph and simply thought "WHAT were you thinking?…."
Hard times, aren't these?…..
sincerely, and best wishes (as always) to you, Heather, in your obvious search for various sorts of peace…..
david terry
Hi Heather,
Thank you for posting this. I feel sick, disgusted, and, yes, embarrassed that he is our president. I'm going to take a cue from you and go out and photograph some beauty this afternoon to offset the ugliness in Washington D.C.
And know, that many of us here in the U.S. are doing all we can to counteract Trump's recklessness.
Heather, I was equally as horrified when I saw the photograph of a purported comedienne holding the severed head (fake or not) of the President (yours or not) and thought to myself what type of deranged individual would think something like that was funny particularly as he has an 11 year old child. I was very sad that we have come to a point in the world where anyone would think that was even remotely funny and I am appalled that this woman (I am ashamed that she is the same gender as I) would be given any air time whatsoever for any reason ever again, First Amendment nothwithstanding.
C'est bonne, Rocket .. Perfect.