"For my part, I am constantly dazzled by the phenomenon of life." Pour ma part, je suis sans arrêt ébloui par le phénomène de la vie. – René Barjavel Do not miss the entire quote. Use the link below (when reading this by email) to click through to the online version of this post, where you will hear the recording in French.
EBLOUI
(from éblouir, to dazzle)
: dazzled, awe-inspired, blinded; carried away
Improve your French pronunciation with the book Exercises in French Phonetics
With the Kindle Paperwhite E-reader you'll enjoy reading with larger fonts.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
I was about to tell you the story of an amazing encounter… when I got sidetracked looking up the word éblouir. A web search led me to a French sci-fi author and his dazzling thoughts. I leave you with René Barjavel's words, read aloud by Jean-Marc. The English translation follows…don't miss it.
Click here to listen to Jean-Marc read the following text
Il ne suffit pas d'être en vie, il faut être vivant . C'est à dire savoir à chaque instant qu'on est au coeur d'un prodige et être en contact, en harmonie avec lui. C'est difficile, mais lorsqu'on parvient à en prendre conscience, on en reçoit un perpétuel émerveillement qui paie au centuple des effors que l'on a consentis. .. Le plus souvent, nous voyons, mais nous ne regardons pas, nous entendons, mais nous n'écoutons pas. Les choses nous bousculent au lieu que nous portions la main sur elles. Nous devrions en disposer pour notre bonheur, et ce sont elles qui nous possèdent pour notre angoisse. Pourtant chacun de nous est au centre de tout, au milieu de l'univers entier. Chacun de nous possède les portes que le créateur (ou la nature, comme l'on voudra) lui a données pour y pénétrer. Mais nous oublions de les ouvrir. Pour ma part, je suis sans arrêt ébloui par le phénomène de la vie. —René Barjavel
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
(It's a rough translation. Feel free to offer corrections in the comments box, below)
It's not enough to be alive, you have to feel alive as well. That is to say, we have to know at every moment that we are in the heart of a prodigy and we are in contact, in harmony with it. It's difficult, but when you realize it, you get a perpetual wonder that pays back a hundred times the effort you've made. Most often we see, but we do not look, we hear, but we do not listen. Things jostle us instead of us getting a grip on them. We should get rid of this for our happiness, and it is this that brings on our anguish. Yet each of us is at the center of everything, in the middle of the entire universe. Each of us has access to the doors that the creator (or nature, if we prefer) has given him to enter. But we forget to open [those doors]. For my part, I am constantly dazzled by the phenomenon of life. –René Barjavel
Some books by René Barjavel
The Immortals – "This book is a masterpiece of politic/fiction. Barjavel shows amazing mastery and errudition in creating an incredible fiction that happens to fit all the major events in the world during the cold war." Amazon reviewer. Order the book
Une Rose au Paradis – "Love this book, but he is also my favorite author." -Isa
Ravage – (French edition) "what would happen if there was suddenly no electricity, and no way to bring it back? This scenario is visited by Rene Barjaval in "Ravage". Hauntingly predictive, this book will make you think" -Amazon reviewer
Searching my photo archives for a door to illustrate today's quote, I found this one (taken in Les Goudes fishing village in Marseilles). It reminded me of why we don't always open the proverbial door: because we are so often distracted by all the flotsam that hides it.
Feedback from a reader of this word journal….
I found this blog by accident around 2004 and was enthralled with the concept. As a school administrator and former French teacher, I encouraged my language teachers to use the blog as a resource in their classes. For years and years I have been a devoted francophile. Kristie, you provide a service that includes entertainment and education. Your photos are inspirational. I look forward to reading your blog as often as you can write it. Do not stop! –Gabrielle
Discover more from French Word-A-Day
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Hi Kristi,
I love the photo of the green door. Is it a church? I love visiting old churches and going through their beautiful doors!
Hi, Eileen. Yes, its the church in Roussillon, in Provence.
Dear Kristi,
I am reminded of the words from a hymn…
Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
Seek, and you shall find.
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Beautiful message today!
Thanks for the introduction to René Barjavel. I’m off to learn more about his work. 🙂
I’m unable to sign in, and Typepad requires that we pay to use it! I tried signing in with all options (facebook, twitter, and google) but only Typepad comes up, requesting a money fee to sign up. You can’t really mean that??
I’ve love reading your blog, ideas, photo’s, and sharing love of life, France, and beauty.
I wanted to ask, how to be able to hear Jean-Marc’s audio–it’s below audible when turned up to its fullest [and I’m not that hard of hearing]. Any suggestions? Can you make it louder on your end? It would be easy to turn down the volume if it’s too loud (because I can’t turn it up any further).
Certainment! Ditto Rene Barjavel! Reminds me of Carl G Jung’s “God/Self is both the center and the circumference.”
Have not read Barjavel but will now. Thanks ! Also love the open door photo… Perfect!!
Doesn’t dazzling begin with gratitude? Just a thought…
Hi, Valérie. There is no fee to sign in (there is no signing into my blog). My blog is and always has been free. Perhaps you accidentally wandered into to Typepad (the company whose platform I use to blog)? In that case you might have seen a fee for blogging (not for reading this blog).
Re the audio file. I will look into it. Is anyone else having difficulty hearing the soundfile?
Yes, I have been having the same issues with the sound. Putting on headphones helps. I noticed when your daughter did the reading the other day it seemed a little louder.
Thanks for the inspiring quote!
Thankful you have the photo….Church is closed for maintenance work (was in Roussillon on Jan 12 and Feb 6, 2018.). Colorful bush is there. View from the top of the church hill is fantastic. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, Susan. That is helpful.
Is anyone else reading this experiencing low-volume issues with the sound file. Or do we need Jean-Marc to speak up? 🙂
Hi Kristi, I noticed that Jean-Marc’s voice seemed softer this time,with a slight echo as if he were reading in a cave or totally empty room. I love his calm voice, but maybe he can try getting a bit closer to the mike on the computer?
And those are words I try to live by every day, and now even Lily stops to look at seemingly unremarkable things and enjoys what she’s seeing ( when her nose isn’t in her phone…) Stop and don’t just smell the roses, touch them and really look at them!!
Thank you both for a great post!!
Bisous, Suzanne
Jean-Marc is a bit soft spoken and is sometimes a challenge to hear. This one was not for me.
Since you asked about translation , etre au coeur de quelque chose (exp) be in the throes of something, (not in the heart
of something) Poetry is very difficult to translate. Bon Courage, Rachel
Thank you, Rachel!
Hi Kristi, lovely quotation! Re the translation, I suggest ‘it’s not enough to be alive, but one must be living. ‘Prodige’ = ‘marvel, wonder’. …. And, I think, rather: ‘We should be using them for our happiness, and (yet) it is they that possess us and cause us anxiety’ (?? something like that?).
And – ‘Each one of us possesses doors that the creator (or nature, if you prefer) has given to us to walk through.’ (Again, something like that!)
Warmest wishes from us all,
Liz xx
Bonjour, Kristi,
This blog really resonated with me. I have been to several California Mission churches to attend their illuminations.
These occur when natural light shines through a window or a door and illuminates a main or side altar. They are often
at dawn. Regardless of whether the light is dazzling or subtle, it always draws me into a deeper connection with who
and what are meaningful in my life. I so enjoyed reading another expression of this “truth” in today’s blog. You have
such a talent for revealing the essence of your life’s relationships and experiences that your blog is always a pleasure
to read.
Our dear Kristi,
What a beautiful post today!
Not only food for thought,but food for our souls,too.
Thank you!
How many times have we been told/shown to make the most of every day,to make an effort to see things through fresh eyes–and yet,it is all too easy to slip back into comfortable ambivalence instead.
Very much enjoyed hearing Jean-Marc read the translation of Rene’s beautiful words.
Love
Natalia. Xo
….Kristi, Rene certainly had ‘the whole world in his hands’! Every day I try and ‘Carpe Diem’…. Judi
Hi Kristi,
I am having trouble hearing the soundfile as well. I thought it was maybe that my MacBook was getting old as are my ears, but a bit more volume would be super.
Thanks for asking.
Bette
Bonjour Kristin,
I so much enjoy reading your weekly posts. It so much helps to enrich for me the wonderful and complex language that is French.
Jerry
Yes, I usually find the audio files are very quiet, and my computer and headphones need to have the volume turned as high as possible.
I love to hear the quotes spoken by Jean-Marc – and have enjoyed your blog for years!
Jocelyn (Winnipeg, Canada)
I thought the English translation had life. In my view, it would be a mistake to try to “correct” it, because it made me go back and enjoy the original French again.
I also find Jean Marc’s voice very quiet. I love his accent, and would be grateful if it could somehow be recorded at a higher volume. Incidentally, don’t we say in English that someone “looks but does not see” and “listens but does not hear”? I was under the impression that seeing and hearing involve a deeper level of understanding. It seems to be the opposite in French for the sentence about sight. It reads “We see but do not look”. Or is that M. Barjavel playing with language?
I always look forward to your newsletter, it is delightful. And so are you!
Your blog just gets better and better!!!
Merci! ❤️🌹❤️
Yes, Kristi, I often cannot hear Jean-Marc well enough to make out what he’s saying. Thanks to whoever brought up this point. I think he just needs to speak up!
Susan
Ottawa, Canada