Bonjour

Bonjour. Hola. Guten Tag. Ahoj. Hallo. Salve. Ciao.

Hello.

Right now, I would love to tell you that I am presently sitting at a beautifully carved oak desk, drinking a warm cup of tea and polishing my writing quill.  A roaring large fire casts moving shadows on the ornate wallpaper of the room, and out the window, thick snowflakes fall lazily onto the frozen earth.  A blue jay lands swiftly on an icy tree branch near the window, and as I sit in my large armchair, I gaze at the falling snow, dreaming and philosophizing about the future.  

However, this unfortunately is not the case.  Instead, I’m sitting at the computer desk in my living room, shivering because of the freezing temperature in my house (presently I’m wearing at least four layers of clothing), and staring at the blank white page on my computer screen.

Yet even though I’m not exactly where I want to be at the moment, I was still somehow able to get somewhere else.  I created an image.  I imagined. I dreamed. And I did it with words.

The meeting of minds.  It’s a powerful thing.  When people read the same words, their minds meet at a place of the author’s creation, a place you can only go if you’ve read those words.  Did you see the desk, the fireplace, the blue jay?  The cup of tea, the snowflakes, and the window?

Written words are not meant to be read quickly.  They’re not to be skimmed over and forgotten.  Words can say things which we will never be able to speak.  They share things with people we will never meet.  And they remind us of things that should never be forgotten.

Therefore, I’m writing this blog for mostly myself.  So many times I’ve been struck with a conviction, thought, or idea that I’ve wanted to write down and share.  So this blog is for that purpose. 

I wanted to start this blog with a simple greeting of hello.  Have you ever been around someone who knows who you are but won’t say anything, even a quick hello?  They ignore you, or at least they don’t get around to saying a simple “Hi there.”  It shouldn’t be that hard.  It’s just an acknowledgement of your existence. 

So I thought I’d start my blog the French way.  In France, people almost always greet one another, even perfect strangers, with a kiss on the cheek and a “Bonjour.”  It’s a common form of etiquette that is taken for granted.  It’s politeness and opens up conversation.  I know I even sometimes feel awkward about going up and talking or introducing myself to people.  But I’ve decided that needs to change.  So this is a reminder to me to say HELLO.  Bonjour.  (*ahem* …without the kiss =])

Bright Eyes is a nickname of mine that a special friend gave to me.  I had the option of several different nicknames, but Bright Eyes seemed to be my best option.  A few others included Dark eyes, Deer eyes, Horse eyes (ok, enough eyes people…), Tinkerbell, Sassy, Driftwood, Big ears, Ma’am.

My real name is Cassandra.  It means “Helper of Mankind” or “Deceiver of Mankind,” as my family constantly reminds me.  To know the whole history and meaning of my name, please read the account of Cassandra the Prophetess in the battle of Troy in the Iliad.  (For anyone else who knows this story, no comments please. =])

But the name I most prefer, and what most people call me, is Cassie.  And of course, Bright Eyes.

So I’m glad you’re here.  I’m glad you’re reading.  I’m glad we’ve met.  Bonjour.  I’m Bright Eyes.  

It is necessary to write, if the days are not to slip emptily by.  How else, indeed, to clap the net over the butterfly of the moment?  For the moment passes, it is forgotten; the mood is gone; life itself is gone.  That is where the writer scores over his fellows:  he catches the changes of his mind on the hop. 

~ Vita Sackville-West