Visual Encounters at Paris Unity March January 11, 2015 {Paris Photo}

Cabu et les émotions soulignées de rouge ~ Cabu and Emotions Highlighted in Red © 2015 Chantal-Hélène Wagner

You had to be in the moment, but at the same time you tried to capture some of those fleeting moments to better remember them later on...

Le boxeur, sa femme et ses deux enfants : Boxer, Être Parent, Fumer comme un Pompier ~ The Boxer, his Wife and his Two Kids: Boxing, Parenting, Oversmoking © 2015 Chantal-Hélène Wagner

While I remember a very good atmosphere, even joyous at times, looking back at the pictures makes me realize there were so very many persons who in fact wore pained or subdued expressions on their faces.

Après la galette des rois, la manif : Le petit prince est anxieux, comme ses parents ~After Eating a Galette des Rois, the Demonstration: The Little Prince is Anxious, like his Parents © 2015 Chantal-Hélène Wagner

It was, more discreetly perhaps, also a mournful march and one where there were underlying psychological tensions. People were biting their lips and smoking a lot. Some others looked like they were still shell-shocked. You didn't know what might happen since the last few days had shown that the most unpredictable things were now taking place. You constantly wondered where an explosion was most likely to happen in any given perimeter. Yet, you can only marvel at the act of deep faith which led so many French parents to bring along their children, simply because you had to if you wanted your kids to have a complete moral upbringing.

You can look also at We Are Charlie Children