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| the arc de triomphe de l'etoile from the champs-elysees. |
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| the arc de triomphe. |
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| the arc de triomphe. |
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| my friend matt (who equally admired the arc) & me. |
it is amazingly huge & intimidating. we went @ night & you have to cross this roundabout thing, & it's really dangerous cause cars go speeding around this thing & there's never a lull in traffic. i guess the champs-elysees is the busiest street in paris. so you're supposed to go under the street, but it was closed off cause you're not supposed to go over there @ night. so we ended up almost killing ourselves running across the street to get over there. but it was sooo worth it. walking through the arc to the other side was this street that was all lit up & the eiffel tower was @ the end of this street & all lit up. it was beautiful. i was suddenly overcome by emotion & i began to cry. my life felt like it finally made sense. & i felt like..if you've ever thought about your life & like the different paths you can take, & how every single decision in your life dictates the path you go..i always wondered if i was on the right path & if i was doing what i was supposed to be doing, & if the decisions i've made were right & fateful. & when i was standing under that huge arc i felt like @
that moment, i was exactly where i was supposed to be & w/who i was supposed to be w/& so every little thing i've done up to
that moment was meant to be. cause if it led me up to
that moment under the arc, it was right.
my epiphany was quickly interrupted by two french police who began yelling @ us in french. although my breakthrough was brief, it was the most significant & moving moment in my life.
i don't know if that makes sense or not..
--rae.
to see history on the arc, its inspiration & construction, please see my art blog @
i spy w/my little eye.
