In the summer of 2016, I was blessed to take a trip to London and Paris. As a enthusiast of history, architecture and art, I was in the heart of some of the greatest sites in Europe. I never thought I would ever make it out of the continental U.S. while growing up nor as an adult have the means to make it overseas. Let’s say that when the opportunity arose, I was head over heels ready for an adventure.

While in Paris, I wanted to bake in the brilliance of one place more than any other. Yes, that place was the Notre Dame Cathedral. I’m amazed at these gothic structures; the artistry involved in their construction; the engineering achievement for the time period! I could stare at the stain glass windows for hours. Although, I’ve suffered with social anxiety and minor obsessive compulsive disorder (I would like to clarify these in regards to me: over the years, my body has decided to create symptoms either when doing something exciting or something I might find uncomfortable. And I’ve found that my mind is always constant moving. This sometimes causes difficulties in concentration and staying focused. I can be easily distracted by another interesting subject or activity. Those that know me, it means I bounce from project to project and it appears I never complete anything. With that being stated….)

Although, I can be plagued with those symptoms, when I enter places like Notre Dame, my mind quiets. My body calms. I feel peace and amazement. Time slows down and I truly feel tranquility. I’ve felt this at other cathedrals and historic sites. Some might theorize that its the power of God. Or I’ve somehow tapped into the metaphysical energy of my surroundings. Regardless what causes it, I marvel at it. I find solace.

So, when I heard that Notre Dame was on fire yesterday I fell to shock. I was horrified. I was sickened. I couldn’t believe it. The images I was witnessing were truly upsetting. I found myself angry and wondering how/why could this happen? I scolded the Parisian Fire Department to hurry and put water on it. I couldn’t understand why the building didn’t have modern fire suppression systems. Instead, it was doomed to ancient fire-fighting techniques – almost as if they were just tossing buckets on the flames. I couldn’t pull myself away from the live coverage. I watched what looked like the entire cathedral engulfed in flames. My heart knew that the interior was lost. 800 years of amazement lost to the ravages of hell on earth. I had to turn off the TV.

Then, I woke up this morning and I saw this image….

….miracles can happen!

More musings on this topic later….