The Narrative Within

Below are fotos of a fabric charm bracelet I recently made.  It’s name is “Je Suis Muy Wild”, the wild coming from the fact that it makes use of animal print fabric.  I recently posted about the love many have for animal prints–sometimes we just need to roar, I guess.

fotos of “Je Suis Muy Wild” fabric bracelet

Unfortunately, I am not in a very good mood today because I didn’t get much sleep last night thanks to “The Elegance of the Hedgehog” by Muriel Barbery. It was a book that had been well-publicized and, from the descriptions I’d read, seemed to be inspirational. The story is about Renee Michel, a 54 year old concierge of an elitist Parisian apartment building. Renee’s life is gray but she gives it color with the books she reads and the films and art exhibits she sees. The world gives her no special attention until a new tenant recognizes Renee’s animated mind. And, as I read, my heart swelled with joy thinking how lovely it was that finally Renee’s life was becoming magical. Flutter, flutter then, wamO bamO, a wack in the face and life became unfair again.  The book ends tragically–so French in that it’s so existential (maybe that’s why France has such a high suicide rate).  The denouement filled me with sadness and, at 4 a.m., I was crying my heart out for Renee in between curses thrown at Ms. Barbery.

I want to believe.  I don’t want to be a cynical skeptic. Nor an insomniac.  So, for the time being, I will refrain from French literature. But, in all fairness to Ms. Barbery, below is a list of appreciable quotes from the above mentioned book:

Do you know that it is in your company that I have had my finest thoughts?

When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things. Where is beauty to be found? In great things that, like everything else, are doomed to die, or in small things that aspire to nothing, yet know how to set a jewel of infinity in a single moment?

I find this a fascinating phenomenon: the ability we have to manipulate ourselves so that the foundation of our beliefs is never shaken.

Madame Michel has the elegance of the hedgehog: on the outside she is covered in quills, a real fortress, but my gut feeling is that on the inside, she has the same simple refinement as the hedgehog: a deceptively indolent little creature, fiercely solitary–and terrible elegant.

But, on a happier note, a video of a kitten and a hedgehog: