Call for Submissions: Send us your love letters to Paris (and beyond)

In the wake of the most recent terrorist attacks, this time on Paris, we are left feeling helpless. Time and again we’ve watched in horror as this scenario has unfolded around the globe. What can we do in the face of such tragedy? One meme posted on Facebook quotes Mr. Rogers: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. ’” A French resident expressed his sadness over the attacks to the media but added, “I won’t be afraid. Life goes on.” We are reminded that the last of the human freedoms is our response to events that are out of our control.

We at Change Seven choose to respond with love, to help in the only way we know how, through the written word. To express our deepest condolences and to offer our support, we invite submissions of 750 words or less, telling us what Paris* means to you. Leave your politics at the door. We will not publish any piece that criticizes, slanders, blames, denigrates or otherwise attempts to perpetuate fear or propaganda of any kind. *We welcome remembrances of other wonderful places that have suffered similar misfortunes as well. According to Wikipedia, in 2015 alone, the following locations have been affected: Cameroon, Nigeria, Philippines, Tunisia, Mali, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, France, Lebanon, China, Ukraine, Israel, Libya, Denmark, Japan, South Korea, India, West Bank, Kenya, Thailand, Macedonia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, United States, Niger, Chad, Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Germany.

Send us your love letters (poems, stories, essays, photographs, art) to peace-loving people and places the world over. Submissions will be accepted through our Submittable account through January 1 and posted as they are received with only minor editing. By submitting you agree to our general submissions guidelines. No payment is offered, and rights revert to the author 30 days after appearing on our site.