le but (bewt)
: goal, aim
.
A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse
Yesterday morning a great big soupir stopped me in my tracks and had me asking why? Why do I do what I do? What am I aiming for? Am I on the right track?
I called Mom last night and caught her ironing. Le repassage? I asked her the same question that I had asked myself that very morning: Mom, are you doing what you love? I already knew the answer, for my dear Mom would love nothing more than to paint and to pursue people (on the street, at the café, via Facebook, here, in my comments box). She loves Art and Others. Tout simplement. Yet she is inside… ironing…. She hasn't picked up a paint brush in eight months, hasn't chased down an unsuspecting stranger in weeks. Instead, she irons her husband's shirts, which are coming apart at the seams.
And what about me? Am I doing what I love? I love Writing and Characters. (Well, I love characters and I think I love writing… ) I think I want to paint people via words….
This morning I wrote a story about mon enfance. Unlike many writers, I had a very happy childhood. I would now like that same carefree feeling to fly forth in my work: no rules, no regulations, only trust, play, and discovery day after day. Yes, this is what I love!
Et encore…
My wish is that my words and my photos will lighten hearts… while growing my own. I hope these missives will help to connect people, collapse cultural barriers, and cause more laughing and rejoicing. At the very least, I hope these journal entries will help us not to take ourselves too seriously, after all we are, deep down, more alike than we are different, you and me.
If I can give back even a chouïa of the knowledge and espérance that I receive from the readers who respond to these "every other day epistles," then perhaps my growing heart qui bat will signal I am, after all, sur le bon chemin, or on the right track.
:: Le Coin Commentaires ::
Comments are the best part of French Word-A-Day. They help connect people and help to share ideas. Thanks for leaving a comment today. If you have never left a comment, don't be shy. You might simply say "Bonjour from (name your city)!" Merci for commenting.
"The Adoration": Smokey and Braise with Uncle Jacques. (Photo taken in January. Smokey is two months "bigger" now. Leave Smokey or Braise (or Jacques) a message.
French Vocabulary & Audio File:
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Thus the aim of art is almost divine: to bring to life again if it is writing history, to create if it is writing poetry. Le but de l’art est presque divin : ressusciter, s’il fait de l’histoire; créer, s’il fait de la poésie. Victor Hugo
le soupir = sigh
le repassage = ironing
tout simplement = quite simply
mon enfance = my childhood
un chouïa= a tiny bit
l'espérance (f) = hope
et encore = what is more
qui bat (battre) = that beats
sur le bon chemin = on the right track
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Bonjour Smokey et Braise,
Je voudrais jouer avec vous, mais j’habit aux Etats Unis. J’e un an et mon nom is ‘Charlie”(come le roi Anglais Charles II)
Charlie
Kristin,
You give such joy to me and to so many others. Thank you. Merci.
goals are good, but are we choosing our goals based on our most authentic inner longings? external forces can exert a lot of pressure on our goal-choosing. i’d love to hear how different balances of inner and outer forces have affected goals and experiences for this lovely circle of people!
Oh dear, that started out like a way too early mid life crisis from which I am pleased to see you recovered immediately. Please continue to let us into the lives of you and your your family, which of course, includes dogs, and making us determined to return one day to Provence.
A lovely sunny day here in Richmond, BC., part of greater Vancouver. If you watched the Olympics in February please tune into the Paralympics which continue until Sunday. If you thought the Olympics were inspiring, these folks are awesome
From my view, your wish has come whole-heartedly true, with wings that lighten and brighten so many lives…what a beautiful “track” you are on!
Jules, you’ve been missed, sending good thoughts and blessings your way.
Lots of Love!
Kristen, You are a fine writer and as a literary agent I can tell you that vous êtes sur le bon chemin. You paint la bonne vie avec votre mots, beautifully. Keep going and keep writing – we look forward to your mots tous les jours!
Approaching 83 and still asking the same question — with time and abilities relentlessly disappearing!
My dear wife has a favorite saying — “Generosity is Joy.” I do believe that there is no greater gift than love, clearly illustrated by the photo of Jacques, Braise, and Smokey. Kristi, I feel sure that your readers have grown in giving love through your love to your family, friends and readers. Like the others, I am blessed to share the gift of love with you.
The French film, Entre Les Murs, winner of La Palme d’Or, gripping, revealing, disturbing, and totally realistic — it changed my essence! Please see it if you can.
Merci pour cette post – vous est sur le bon chemin, bien sur! This is such a brilliant way to teach and enjoy a language – perhaps one day we will all be weaving in and out of international words and sentences and phrases without self-consciousness. One universal language 🙂
Happy St Patrick’s Day!
Chere Kristin,
C’est sure that you are on the good path, and I want so much to be on the “right path of life’ too, particularly at this stage at 53. Writing and painting and doing more photography…maybe retreats in France for women…I know we will meet one day. It was unfortunate for us that when we were last in your beautiful region, it was amidst harvest time and you were swamped with cooking and company! We would love to help with the harvest one year soon also.
We are still searching for our own stone home in France and your wonderful FWAD stories you so kindly share, continue to inspire our hearts, feed our minds, and nourish my soul to pursue it’s true destiny….which I have always known, means living part of the year at least in our beloved France.
To Spring…to you and your family, parents, dogs and life, to dreams coming true…Ours is to save enough $ soon to return and finally buy that little petite maison. Follow your heart and your passions as you do….I am trying to do the same.
Thinking beyond “jobs” really to what my heart and soul long to be doing, while making a living somehow! Merci beaucoup.
Sandy V. in Boulder, CO
Your most recent post also “stopped me in my tracks and had me asking why? Why do I do what I do? What am I aiming for? Am I on the right track?” I am an Australian. I love living here, it is a great place to be but it is so isolated, so far away from Europe, so far away from France. Your regular blogs allow me to become a part of your French life – albeit virtually. So in response to your question…”are you on the right track?” Absolutely. Thank you for sharing your musings with us all – wherever we live.
Kristen, merci for ta verite!! I really connected avec toi aujourd’hui parce que je sens la meme chose. It’s hard to know whether all the hard work I do is really paying off and getting me where I want to go. (being a French teacher) My confidence is not high as my spoken French is still halting and I don’t have a lot of patience with myself to be on the journey and take it as it comes, instead of trying to rush and get there quickly. Peut-etre c’est la vie. Nous souhaitons que tous soit plus facile qu’il est et it faut etre patiente. Je n’en suis pas sur. Merci pour ecouter. Bonne chance! Jean(ne) from Lacey, Washington
Chere Kristin…the Vernal Equinox occurs this weekend…the Earth and Sky and Seas are pulsating with the Great Questions of Life. Nature abides in all the tumultous ups and downs. Walk out into the vines, or rest under a tree; swing wide open your arms to embrace the sky and let your feelings be healed and held in the Absoluteness of Nature. Chere amie, je te pense, tourjours. Mille mercis pour toi et le blog FWaD.
50’s cloudy, sunny in Roanoke, Va. Vite! le Printemps.
Hello kristin,
Looking in detail at your vital question: “Why do I do what I do”?… I can see lots of ‘because’ coming up! Here are just a few:
—> You do what you do, because you love writing (the dream that materialised in France and gradually came true). You’ve developed the art of photography, as a natural complement. You are very talented and you love what you are doing. You enjoy sketching some members of your family, friends, people you exchanged a few words with, as much as you enjoy presenting a few interesting details of your daily life in France and life of your dear ones — all that with your own signature, your love for people, and your sense of humour, greatly appreciated…
—> You also do what you do because you have a natural way of sharing what’s around you in your life in Provence, with lots of people who have a strong romantic feeling for France – more recently, with people who also adore dogs – and all this is done via your personal “art” of writing and the choice of pictures you take with “art”.
—> You stick to the format “French Word-a-day” because you want to incorporate the French language thanks to a few words connected with each “story”. There will always be people who will get the benefit of that sort of help.
You added a special “Comments” section (in Summer 2008 I think?) because you needed to ‘feel your audience’, to listen to them, learn from them, communicate with them and connecting them, … even providing them the possibility of helping each other!
Congratulations and deep appreciation!
Chere Kristin,
Merci beaucoup pour tout ce que tu fais pour la communaute Francancophone/Anglophone.
Your comments bring sunshine to my life and anyone who has moved anywhere does experience cultural differences to some degree or another. Sometimes, I ask myself the same question: Am I doing what I set out to do? But the answer comes in small doses and sometimes really big ones (but not all the time). Just remember, don’t think too hard. I think that we (word-people) get too wrapped up in thinking that we forget what is going on around us. I love to analyze and think and have fun, but I can still feel my sister’s elbow, “Hey! Look-out there!”
Thanks so much for sharing your funny episodes and family life with us. I hope to be able to visit you sometime.
Amicablement,
Kristin, what about your ‘wish’? Shall we have a rating? using ‘stars’ with a maximum of 5 for each point you expressed? (hope it doesn’t look too much like the feedback in e-bay…)
—> I wish… ‘my words and my photos will lighten hearts’…
*****You have already got 5 stars out of 5!
—> I wish… ‘these missives will help to connect people, collapse cultural barriers, and cause more laughing and rejoicing’
*****Unanimously, 5 out of 5… with a bonus of at least 5 extra stars!
—> I wish… ‘these journal entries will help us not to take ourselves too seriously’. Difficult to get any definite rating here because this point depends not only on your ‘entries’ but on how seriously the readers take themselves, whatever your ‘journal entries’ are.
What about your ‘growing heart qui bat’ ?…
I think that by now, your heart should have received a strong ‘signal’ from your readers. Can you hear its joyful beat confirming openly you are indeed “sur le bon chemin”?
The trouble is we too often take good things for granted. Do we all realise all the time it takes you to produce, to give and to share what you are doing for us ? all that in addition to the time you need to fulfill your daily responsibilities towards your husband and children – “sans oublier” Braise & Smokey – and bearing in mind “Domaine Rouge-Bleu” isn’t just an ordinary property). From time to time, the creative energy (which is time consuming) must make you feel tired…
I hope that most of your readers, so much in love with France, would register for your weekly “Cinéma Vérité” to see all the photos you also share with us – colourful, quaint, charming, unexpected, always welcome and inspiring. Their financial contribution would be 200% paid back via the great pleasure given by each of these photos – not mentioning the joy of commenting!
Hello Kristi!
I asked myself when I read this post if ‘I am doing what I love’-the answer is no-BUT-I love what I’m doing. Also I often make opportunities to do things I love doing.
Betty tells me Jules and I are a lot alike in many ways, so my hunch is that she may have been inside with ironing while her mind was wandering the country side of France, or thinking of a new painting…
I ‘paint’ mostly with a camera-and love it! And have long been inspired by Jules’ ‘Tango 62’ I am going to try doing some water colors (I’m still building courage there).
Because of your photographs I’m able to glimps a world I would other wise never know and with your talent with words you paint for me amazing portrait’s of people, places and experiences I would otherwise never *know* or *see*.
Your writing has always been like paintings to me. Thanks you!!
Hugs,
Missy
Especially lovely thoughts, Kristin. merci for your work today and every day.
Bonjour from New York City. I wish I could have met your husband, but alas, he was too far away. Your beauty shines through your writing.
Blessings,
Aurora
Bonjour from Boulder, CO
What a delightful post. This is the first time I have seen your writing. How can I subscribe? A bientot, Lillian
Kristin-Look at the amazing responses! Notice that you are at the very center of a rather large community. So many of your goals are indeed accomplished. The peace the dogs have in that great photo can be a guide! Such simple bliss, uncomplicated and in the joyous present moment. Keep up the good work! jan
Karen, thank you for the choice of that subtle quote!
Janet, I enjoyed your view regarding ironing.
‘when the ironing piles up, remember how lucky we are to have a pile of clothes, an iron that works, and a place to press out the wrinkles!’
So thoughtful and so true. I ‘will’ remember.
Susan from Oregon, how wise to remind us that ‘mindless acts’ like ironing can be ‘soothing, productive and calming’. Your joy of seeing the garments smooth and crisp on a hanger is a bit like the joy of getting ideas out of your head and transforming them into well chosen words carefully written down on a beautiful page. You are a perfectionist!
Oh! dear ‘Uncle Jack’,
Quelle photo magnifique! On sent un lien très fort entre vous et les deux chiens. Le sens d’adoration mutuelle est intensément beau. Smokey comprend et partage l’expression de votre regard – et vice versa. Quant au regard de Braise, quelle grande tendresse pour vous.
You are amazing!
Jules, it was so nice to hear from you today, via Kristin, and to catch you… ironing! I understand ironing shirts isn’t for you as exciting as painting, but, who can spend 100% of their time, all through their life, with doing only what they like best or are best at? Doing something for the one you love, doing anything with care and love for anyone is a reward in itself.
You must be so happy to follow the unfolding of FWAD and Cinéma Vérité (we know how proud you are of Kristin’s achievements!). You don’t appear so often these days, but we know you’re there.
Lots of love,
and wishing you a great day!
Posted by: Newforest |
Kristin,
It occurred to me today that maybe when we reach a certain level in our careers (for lack of a better word) that we find it hard to figure out how to continue to drive ourselves — to what end if the feat has been accomplished? You say to yourself “OK, this is what I’ve been working towards for years and now I’m here. Now what?”
You’ve made fantastic strides and met some high marks recently with your journalistic talents. Your product of humanistic journalism and photography is well honed and is obviously what you love. It doesn’t, however, define you. We all have so many God-given gifts yet to be explored and I wish you luck in whatever you choose to pursue next.
I think you’re doing the right thing in branching out with little offshoots of the same idea. I’m sure the answers will come to you with time but remember it’s all about the journey. For now, as hard as it may be for a humble person like yourself, ENJOY your accomplishments and bask in the feeling you should so rightly deserve to feel.
Newforest: thank you so much for our lessons today. I can’t begin to tell you how helpful they are and how they bring Kristin’s blog full circle. Thank you, thank you.
Jules: thank you for being such a huge part of who Kristin is. Your hearts and souls are obviously closely connected. How fortunate you are to share that connection.
Bonjour,
Just a note to say – you demonstrate each time you write your blog and take those beautiful photographs, it creates special memories with style and grace. wonderful stories… So much love in that picture between the dogs and Uncle Jacques. Hope smokey is not chewing so much? maybe he has some deficiency in some nutrient? That was the case for my grey hound —
Joanny
Hi,
I believe that there is a typo in the vocab for “but”……..un soupir is a “sigh”, not a “sign”.
Secondly, can Kristin or a reader help me understand the difference between the two nouns for “hope”….i.e., ESPERANCE and ESPOIR.
Thank you.
Hello Karen,
You mentioned -> “branching out with little offshoots of the same idea”… this is something I had in mind but couldn’t quite express well enough and omitted.
In practical terms, I guess you mean -> writing ‘a story for children’ (as mentioned by Kristin after her talk in Paris)… and maybe -> more stories for children, … and who knows? one day, writing a novel? (which may reduce other activities). As you rightly said, it’s all about ‘the journey’…
Merci, Kristin, for your lovely thoughts. Your beautiful missive touched my heart.
I just had to respond to the very first Julie who commented today, “you’d think we’re living in Oregon or something, what with the gray.” — NOT if you live in Central Oregon, where we have 300 days of sunshine a year (as much as Arizona!). 🙂 🙂
To Marshall Brass,
1) In the Vocab List, I can clearly see ‘sigh’ for “soupir”, which is right.
2)About “l’espérance” & “l’espoir” (= hope), I’ll try to explain:
—> “l’espérance” is the feeling you have when you see a strong probability of obtaining what you want.
– The object of your feeling is also called your “espérance”.
—> “l’espoir” is more the fact you are confidently waiting for something you wish.
– The object your wish is also called your “espoir”.
As they are both related to waiting with confidence for something you want/wish, the 2 words are sometimes used in the same way, with no real difference. In general, the word “espoir” is more often used than “espérance”.
“L’espérance” being a word that belongs to the world of feelings, it is used in poetry.
—> “L’espérance” is also a Christian virtue, one of the 3 “vertus théologales”. The 3 virtues are:
– la foi = Faith
– l’espérance (fem) = Hope (waiting for the grace of God and eternal life)
– la charité (fem) = Charity
So, in a religious meaning, you use the word “espérance”, not “espoir”
—> L’espérance (not l’espoir) is a term used in Statistics. “L’espérance mathématique” is the equivalent of “the expected value” (‘mathematical expectation’). I am not able to explain, so, if you are curious, here is a link in French:
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esp%C3%A9rance_math%C3%A9matique
and a link in English:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expected_value
Chere Kristen,
J’adore your column! I look forward to every entry, even print them out. (
Also have your books) I don’t think you have any idea of the scope of your impact–MERCI BEAUCOUP for what you do! The eloquence in some of the comments today speaks for many of us.
I love your dog photos–we have a wonderful 14 year old Golden who keeps us smiling!
Kristin:
I have so much to say and really no way to say it. So I will just say thank you. Thank you for sharing your life with us!
Please know your purpose is of value to many.
Great photo of Jacques and the dogs! I love how my dogs look at me as if they’re in love with me. Can’t beat the adoration of a pooch!
Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you: figure out what you have to say.
Barbara Kingsolver
Dear Joie and friends, wonderful Babara Kingsolver quote. Thank you for this and for every word that each of you have shared. I dont know what to say so I will keep this simple: merci! Off to work on todays story with a smile on my face and friends in my heart. I feel certain now that I am sur bon chemin!
Amicalement,
Kristin
Très heureuse de lire que les doutes sont effacés, balayés, et remplacés par la certitude apaisante de savoir que tu es sur le bon chemin. La route peut être longue et sinueuse, couverte d’ornières ou de gros pavés, et les nuages peuvent cacher l’horizon. Repose-toi de temps en temps sur les talus, entre les chapitres de ton histoire, pour reprendre ton souffle et retrouver ton sourire…
La pause terminée, reprends la route de ton inspiration, le coeur rempli de notre amitié et de l’amour de tes proches, les yeux attentifs à l’entourage mais le regard fixé vers l’horizon. Quant à ton imagination, laisse-la conduire ta main vers la création de chapitres nouveaux.
Newforest, your words are simply beautiful! Because they have a berce-ing effect, I think it is safe to say your words ROCK! 🙂
Kristin,
Thanks for the beautiful words you paint for us. As I have worked for Air Liquide for almost 20 years, a little French vocabulary and culture insight go along way. Smokey and Braise are lovely.
bonjour from long island ny. leaving for france in one week as a high school chaperone for the french club trip! 4 days paris and 4 days south.
HI Kristin, I am bit late I know, but I just wanted to add that FWAD is something I enjoy and look forward to every week.
It’s good to ask the questions you ask, frustrating sometimes, but good all the same.
Keep doing what makes your heart sing.
The photo of Jacques and the ‘pups’ is just lovely.
amicalement
Chris
Bonjour Kristin from Florida
I’ve been reading and loving your blog for years. I have all of your books as well. I have a house in Vaison la Romaine and hope to have the opportunity to meet you this July when we are there. Your blog is always uplifting. I was first moved to comment when Blaise ran away; just love Smokey.
Virginia
Bonjour Kristin from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I have just discovered your blog, and now I will look forward to reading it every day. I’m trying to learn some conversational French for our trip to Paris in May. Thanks for making it fun.
Mary W.
Bonjour from Hernando, Florida, a small town on the nature coast of the Gulf of Mexico. I am 64 years old and taking French lessons to give me something to encourage the brain cells and because I love the language and France, especially your part of Provence. I look forward to each of your posts and have saved each for my continued learning. Keep up the good work..you are doing what you love..taking others to another place.
Bonjour Kristin,
You are not only doing what you love but you are achieving your goals if that means bringing people together and making them happy. I read your column every day and have been doing so for years. I wish that I had your gift for writing but I want you to know that reading your column is one of my favorite parts of each day and such a bright spot in my life. I love hearing about your family – all of them – and I adore the pictures of your dogs as well. I love hearing about your mother and what she is doing. Seems you come by your inspirational nature quite naturally. One of my dreams is to meet you one day and talk with you in person. My goal is to make it before my 70th birthday – in about five years! Thank you so much for making your wonderful stories, French expressions and photographs grace my days so often!
Amicalement, Diana
Bonjour Kristin,
Your stories bring joy to my heart and a smile to my face toujours! Keep doing what you love!
Mille Merci!!