#itsabouttomorrow

[o-street-blog]

[TREES ARE NOT ONLY WHAT THEM SEEM]

Today, I’ll go into story mode. Have to.

A few years back, I was just a regular small firm architect in the East of France, doing some graphic design on the side, first to pay part of my studies, then because it became a part of myself. I used to spend some time here & there doing DIY, restoring furniture, making a piece of it or two, nothing fancy, didn’t have the time, skills, or tools. 5 years ago, I had managed to combine the first two into a still struggling but decent living design consultancy studio. I enjoyed it, and I still do, but I want more, with less. I want my life to be part of something bigger than myself, more real, more authentic, more spiritual even. I want my job to show what I believe, not making a hard time trying to feel the other way around. In that line of work, it’s your duty to respect the decisions of your clients, but somehow, you nearly always struggle with preserving your beliefs and own creativity. The eternal dilemma of “Shall I be a bitch and make real cash ? Or shall I make it the hard but right way ?” I’m both an optimistic and an idealist. But a pragmatic one. All that and some sh*t I had to figure out inside my mind, with time, made me go to real dark places.

That picture was taken just after that time by my buddy @mll_photographer, aside from a promo shoot we made for the @rocksforthemyst ’s brand. So, years have passed, and I installed a workshop in my family-in-law’s basement. So I’ve taken every bit of time I had beside what I do for a living to go on a shuhari like kind of journey, which I’m still on the early steps. So I learnt & experimented woodworking, until, finally, a few months from now, we’ll be launching our own handcrafted home decor company. Beside the obvious inspiration of calm and realness that picture represents, it captured so much more. Something that makes me feel both lucky and humble. Imagine it’s around 5am, you’re on top of the hills, toward the beautiful landscape you can call home. Imagine you’re here with your love and some fabulous friends, brothers really, you made along the way. All that silent presence and support I could benefit while coming back to light, as was the day. All that is both held and represented in that picture. A whole world and track to follow, knowing that together, we can face the unexpected. They are to me, as much solidary as those trees facing us, supporting each other in letting everything around, including themselves, breath and live. Especially my love, more than anyone, who despite some sh*t to deal with on her own, found the love and courage to dig with me, in my heart and bones, a way to figure out the strength I needed desperately. That’s more than just a story of happiness or friendship, a story of sole solidarity. It’s a story of love and brotherhood. It’s my buddy Mika. It’s my mate Thomas. It’s - last but not least - my love, Nadège. The one that coped and stood by my side with all the good and bad, and still do !

As I was saying earlier, I’m a pragmatic one, a guy that goes for facts, so don’t you think this story is gonna end with butterflies and lilies (well, it may be so, but beside the point).

As some of you may know, we are french, and, especially after the UK and the USA have turned themselves down a dark road the past year, we had to face a pain & stressful electoral challenge. One - despite economic models that don’t fit the means neither the needs, nor that we want, despite a climate imposed by those who chose fear over love to fill their heart with - one battle has been won. We chose not to give in to fear already, even if that it meant going with the youngest, wildest liberal president we may ever have known.

A tremendous amount of work awaits our president elect. And I honestly wish him all the best. I hope he’ll find a way to set political petty prides aside to give the world and our country something good. I hope he’ll find a way to convince those to do so, to go for the greater one, not for the name of a political party. Situation is too much of a mess to have that kind of luxury. We, are important, not the label you come up with. We need a vision. And how not to remind ourselves, vision has quite a wide range, but always blurry on the edges. I hope he’ll find a way to reconcile the french people, and make of France a good example for once, it’s been a while since we did, if, we ever did.

But we won’t rely on him. “We, are our only hope” said Brother Ali , and we’ll all have to do our part. Let’s show them we can build an economic model on our own. Let’s show we can be both competitive and nature-oriented. Let’s acknowledge our mistakes and get rid of them, one by one, piece by piece, one step at a time. Let’s find a way to use the best out of the global and the local. Let’s show how traditions and progress aren’t some opposites. Let’s find balance. Let’s find common sense again. Let’s make an example out of every voice we all are, every choice we all make.

Let’s make that hum a chorus.

Today, I will thank my love, my people, my country and my countrymen, because we, I mean the People, believe neither hate nor wild capitalism are answers to how we did the world wrong, we did ourselves wrong. We who believe happiness isn’t the same thing as pleasure and domestic comfort. We who believe we can be strong. We who believe we can make it. We who won’t wait in line for something good to finally happen. To someone good to finally appear and step up. We who chose Hope, and do something for it.

Today is only a beginning. Just another one in a peaceful war.

“We shall overcome” they once said. Now it’s time we actually do something for it. Some day must be today.

Wrapping myself up again in that cloak of idealism, I will still believe in all I said, and there still is much place under that cloak.

At the end of this day, I am going to put the “Wake Up” record of The Roots and John Legend down the needle, lean back, and think. Again. Just hope I’m not alone to do so.

#itsabouttomorrow