1. Editor'sNote
Je suis Paris
We were putting thefinishingtouches on this issue when
terrorists struck in Paris.
As it turns out, we had long ago planned, assigned, edited
and designed our travel feature From Paris to Provence.
As usual with our travel stories, our main interest early
on was to provide information on ways in which gluten-free
travelers can enjoy these two prime tourist destinations,with
special attentiongiven to the kinds ofdining options available.
But tragedy shifts focus, and we wanted to send a message
of comfort and support to those who call Paris home. And we
wanted to acknowledge how global events touch those who
feel connected to a city they've visited or have been excitedly
planning to visit.
Janine Marsh, who wrote our story about Provence, had
returned from Paris to her home in Pas de Calais, two hours
north of the city, only the day before the attacks. She says her
French friends have told her how moved they've been by the
messages of support and scenes of monuments around the
world lit up in red, white and blue, the colors of France, too.
A friend who runs a small business told Marsh that her first
thought was that everything should be canceled. "But that
is to-let the terrorists win, and so we have to carry on," the
friend concluded.
"I feel like the best way I can help is to keep writing about
France and to keep sharing my stories ofwhat makes us fall in
love with France—the wonderful food, languageand culture,
the history and heritage, the traditions and above all the spirit
of the people," said Marsh, a travel writer who is the editor of
thegoodlifefrance.com.
I've visited Paris only once and was struck by the soaring
beauty of the Eiffel Tower in the place known as the Cityof Light.
I, likemillions of others, witnessed the brightestkind of light
from Paris right after the attacks in a news video exchange
between a young French boy and his papa near a memorial
for those lost in the attacks. The boy expresses his fear about
bad guys who aren't very nice and who might force him to
have to move from his house. This is how the talk between
the father and his son goes:
"No, don't worry. Wedon't need to move out France is our
home," the father says.
"But there are bad guys, Papa," the boy answers.
"Yes, but thereare bad guys everywhere," his father counters.
"They have guns, they can shoot at us because they're really,
really mean, Papa," the boy continues.
"It's OK. They might have guns, but we have flowers," the
father says.
"But flowers don't do anything," the boy says.
"Of course they do; look, everyone is putting flowers," his
father says. "It's to fight against the guns."
"It's to protect?" the boy asks.
"Exactly," the father says.
"And the candles, too?" the boys asks.
"It's to remember the people who are gone yesterday," the
father says.
"The flowers and the candles, they're here to protect us," the
boy wonders.
He then turns to his fatherwith a slight smile and a look that
signals what he says next, which is that he feels much better.
I've never heard the French language sound so sweet, and
it's worth actually watching the video yourself if you've not
seen it yet. You'll find it here: http://bit.ly/!HYQxwK
It will give you hope in the face of events designed to steal
optimism from the world. And it may encourage you to find
out a little more about Paris and Provence and keep your
mind and heart open to visitingone day. We hear gluten free
is catching on there.
AMY RATNER
ED/TOR