• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

ARTIST-AT-LARGE

exploring cultures with eyes wide open

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Community
  • About ARTIST-AT-LARGE
    • Contact
    • Minutiae
    • Copyright
    • Privacy Policy
    • Our Image Policy
  • Travel Resources
    • Art Fairs
    • Film Festivals
    • Open Studios
    • Galleries / Museums
      • Aix-en-Provence Museums
      • Avignon Museums
      • Berlin Museums
      • Paris 3e Galleries
      • Paris 6e Galleries
      • Sacramento Galleries
      • San Francisco Galleries
    • Really Great Bookstores
      • Berkeley Bookstores
      • Denver Bookstores
      • Oakland Bookstores
      • Portland Bookstores
      • San Francisco Bookstores
    • Partner Resources
  • IMAGES@ARTIST-AT-LARGE

Paris My Paris

November 15, 2015 By Kimberly Kradel

Pere Lachaise Cemetary
Pere Lachaise Cemetary

The attacks in Paris have hit me in the heart. Over the past twenty-four hours my thoughts have been tumultuous but my emotion has remained constant. The who and what and why of the situation is complicated. You can read about that in the papers. People are quick to judge the situation from their own political view point. My job is to just send out a constant beam of love to my European home base, and to all of humanity as well.

People are complaining that those of us who are feeling compassion for Paris are shortsighted and not feeling compassion for all the other people in the world who have been affected by terrorism. Beirut. Kenya. Palestine. Syria. Any American high school. Abused women and children.

For many of us, artists, musicians, poets, creatives, we have a deep affinity for Paris. It’s like a Mecca for us – and before you shoot down the religion reference, the comparison to Mecca not being lost on me, being an artist, musician, poet, creative is a deeply spiritual thing.

Paris, for us, represents all that is right with the world, from revolution to party/celebrations, from quality of life to creativity. France is also a country that still makes decisions based on morals. They often do the right thing by their people and their friends. We do not like to see her damaged in any way. For those of us who have traveled there or made pilgrimages there, or were privileged enough to have extended stays there, we have the feeling that we have been affected too.

But this doesn’t lessen or diminish our love and compassion for other cities, and places, and countries, and people. Especially for those of us who have traveled.

It is becoming more and more evident that Humanity is now at a final crossroads. We can choose to move into the light, love, trust, comapassion. We can choose to be empathic and understanding. We can choose to evolve “above ” this warring way of existence and create a world of beauty, caring and peace. We ARE capable of this.

And for humanity to continue, it is a necessity that we do so.

Filed Under: France, Paris Tagged With: op ed, opinion, terrorism, violence

Don’t forget to like and share our post links in your social media feeds using the share buttons at the end of each post!

Footer

Outside Our Realm

These links will open in a new window. Enjoy!

Google Arts & Culture: Explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and even create and share your own collection of masterpieces.

View The Sistine Chapel online as if you were actually there - alone with no other people to disturb your view! Use your mouse by holding down the right click and mousing through the room.

Get your groove on and explore radio stations around the world with Radio Garden.

This Is An Ad


Saatchi Art

These Are Ads

Blurb

Zenfolio: Your Photography Partner - 40% off limited time offer

www.dickblick.com

Purchase Images

Support ARTIST-AT-LARGE by purchasing the site’s cultural and travel images for your next project or blog post on IMAGES@ARTIST-AT-LARGE.

Search The Site

BLOG CATEGORIES AND TRAVEL DESTINATIONS

These Are Ads

Clicking through and making a purchase supports this website:

Read my Masterclass Review: Jimmy Chin

© 2025 · ARTIST-AT-LARGE · Powered by Imagely

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Community
  • About ARTIST-AT-LARGE
  • Travel Resources
  • IMAGES@ARTIST-AT-LARGE