Are the Games one of the ways to return powerfully to deeper truths about ourselves? This would be a key trait of the Art de Vivre à la Française.
At the heart of this art of living lies the ability to “see ourselves clearly” to recognize the essence of what defines us, to acknowledge both our strengths and weaknesses, and to know which solid levers and driving forces we can rely on to move forward. Sometimes, that means having the courage to show ourselves as we truly are, even boldly so.
These Games embraced that courage and boldness. They have become a catalyst for the French people, who may have lost sight of their strengths and uniqueness. The international press – The Economist, notably- recognized how these Games helped us refocus on what matters, how they reconnected and even healed us. As Mercedes Erra said in her post, they revealed “…a remarkable France, with its love for meaning, freedom, diversity, and values…” a perfect summary of those strengths.
The Games also allowed us to showcase those strengths without boasting, with simplicity and flair, without putting others down. It was simply about showing our own way of solving a challenge. Foreign athletes like Ariana Ramsey, for example, were struck by how accessible healthcare was for all participants and it inspired her to join the fight for universal care back in the U.S.
These Games reminded us that, in our Art de Vivre à la Française, we know how to see ourselves, and accept it all. And that our strengths are still very much here: steady, brilliant, and enduring.
What about you? Did these Games remind you, too, of the beautiful strengths the Art de Vivre à la Française carries?