Notre Dame

This week we all watched while flames consumed Notre Dame in Paris. ‘My heart aches.’ ‘I am heart broken.’ ‘This hurts my heart’. All my texts and conversations carried the same emotion. It was so visceral and immediate when I saw the first footage. So very sad to watch. And, as the fire got under control, the conversation turned to an inquisitive one, why does the hurt to a building make me cry? A building. Yet it was completely true. It hurt to watch it burn. And I was confused by my reaction. And comforted hearing of others similar reflection. Somehow we were all sharing this ride in the same way.

So what is it? For me, it seems that somehow Notre Dame became personified, with a big ancient soul, vast and welcoming. The insides welcomed millions of people to gather, admire and pray. And the outside has grounded the center of Paris for over 800 years. The stories that have taken place inside, the marking of history, the beauty and genius of the edifice, the spiritual significance, the many hands – and many years – that people have worked to create and maintain it. Shared humanity.

And waking the next day to confirm there were no casualties. And huge contributions to the rebuild are already pledged. And swarms of engineers are there to verify the integrity of the remains and begin to map a plan forward. As swiftly as the fire swept in – bringing all its emotion – it feels possible to pivot and move forward. No lives were lost. It is a building. And it will be rebuilt. Onward we go.

So I scrapped what I had planned to write here, and added this instead. If you want to contribute to the rebuilding effort of this magnificent being, here’s a link to the French Heritage Foundation fundraising site.