[[ girls ]]

come with me on a journey of my observations in a bustling parisian cafe...

There’s so much life in here. In this country and in this café. This cutie lil group of girls is in the corner. There are 5 of them.

Truly having a ball.

Laughing & enjoying their smoothies.

They must be 15-16 years old and all of them look different. Different hairstyles, fashion choices, and seemingly different ethnicities based on what I can gather from how they interact and their conversation. They are all small in frame but have different body compositions.

Makes me wonder if French media poisons the minds of young girls like American media does.

These girls just seem so SURE.

So confident.

So HAPPY.

So free to truly ENJOY. Fearless of consuming what is on their plates and in their cups.

I see them truly listening to each other. Quiet and active listening. They are PAYING ATTENTION. Not in a fake way.

These laughs are real. Gasping for air from laughter.

Gossips.

Jokes.

Smiles.

I cannot fully understand their conversation, but I know. And I wish for them this continued happiness and to not be crippled by the pressure of society and life to be, act and look a certain way.

They are not shrinking to fit an expectation of how they should be – they are truly living. They are gracious. “Merci. Merci beaucoup” all around the table to the waitstaff.

I think they recognize the value of being different. I want to ask them.

But. I have this hesitation.

Not only do I not speak their language, but there is a hesitation to disrupt the beauty that is this moment for them.

God. I so wish this for all young people.

Trust. Freedom to be their true, authentic selves. Communities that hold space for that true expression and a world that does not try to STUFF them into a label. A box. A lane.

May our world be LANELESS, allowing people's beautiful fluctuations and variations to truly be.

Because when we all allow that, the world will know to heal.

And MAYBE. Just MAYBE, our children will have a chance. <3