Jean-Louis Bouzou – Text Bubbles

It all started on YouTube. One day, the algorithm showed me videos of people retrieving food from supermarket dumpsters. I couldn’t believe my eyes—it looked fake. So I decided to see for myself. One night, I went out to scavenge through the dumpsters of convenience stores and realized it was all true: vegetables, fruits, coffee, oil, yogurts—even non-perishables—were being thrown away every day. Later, I did some research and discovered that food waste—from both sellers and buyers—accounts for 30 to 40% of production. Unthinkable! Why don’t store managers redistribute this food to employees or charities? I read that every employee is considered a “potential customer,” and anyone caught retrieving unsold items risks being fired. Disgusted by this consumerist society and its shameless waste, I became a freegan. And I admit I’ve never eaten so well in my life, prepared so many jars (pickles, fermented vegetables, jams, etc.), or shared so much food with those around me. My cellar now lo...

Like Uncle Walt, the sweaty-toothed madman, I celebrate this magnificent life bubbling within me… On this beautiful spring day, seated at a table with friends, sharing words, laughter, crackers, and drinks, I feel the eternal pulse of this red river within me—drunk with love and joy, radiating through my whole being… How could I be any happier in this moment, except if I could feel you sitting by my side, our hands entwined beneath the table, the sensual curve of a taut bow upon our lips, and our eyes sparkling with talkative stars that part only to find each other again, at once…

The difference between selfishness and self-love is the same as between hypocrisy and acceptance… In hypocrisy, we wear social masks: we hide who we truly are… but in self-love, we go through a phase of acceptance that goes beyond duality: we accept our weaknesses as well as our strengths, our flaws as well as our qualities, we love ourselves for who we are… and by doing this for ourselves, we also do it for others… One path leads to division while the other leads to unity…

At night, you come into my dreams, inviting me to share a meal with you. This delights me, yet I watch you—quiet and powerless—as you hurl the stones of your inner conflicts with immense vehemence… By day, even when I feel strong, I carry your unease within me: that cough betraying your sadness and your struggle to communicate… and sometimes, that stomachache—like a guilty past you cannot digest, cannot forgive yourself for… I long to share with you, this joy and childlike carefree spirit that now forms the skeleton of my being… The happiness of plunging my hands into the garden soil, giving and nurturing life. The pleasure of cooking and savoring what I've grown. These conversations filled with smiles and laughter among friends. These words, shapes, and colors I bring to life day by day—blazing suns that light up my world… I wish to brighten your night. Forgive yourself, love yourself… and let us meet again!