by Annalie Jiang
Of course this is still a fairly sensitive topic but as many of you know, it has been two weeks since the tragedies that took place the night of the 13th. Yesterday I happened to be in the area of République, not far from the sites of the attacks, and stumbled upon the street of Le Carillon and Le Petit Cambodge, two of the cafés involved. It was a truly overwhelming scene, to see the layers of flowers, flags, and pictures; even on a chilly Thursday afternoon, there were people who took time to stop by and light some of the candles again. As I made my way to Place de la République, I saw the same actions of solidarity repeated at the memorial there.
Over these past weeks, one of the things I have found most inspiring is the resilience of the French people, the semblance to carry on normally after a tragedy like this. The streets were a little empty over the following weekend, and I had friends who were hesitant about riding the public transportation. Since the Monday after, however, the transport has been running quite smoothly, and the covered outdoors market down the street from me has returned. It is about the will to carry on while still being cautious, the strength to overcome despite the increased security and incessant sirens as we remain in a state of emergency. It is about the again-occupied café terraces, accompanied by fierce declarations of “je suis en terrasse” and the service held at Invalides tonight; ultimately, it is about still not being fearful: même pas peur.
From Paris to beyond, here’s to healing.
