Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Like everyone else, my heart is broken by the Notre Dame Cathedral fire.

None of us will ever forget the feelings of sadness and horror as we watched those flames.

Photo by Ag Photographie

I'm still trying to process those feelings and I'm not sure I'll ever have the words to properly communicate them.

Anyone who knows me already knows I'm a fool for Paris.

I've talked at length here about the time I've spent there; first in 2017 with three great traveling pals - Lesa Holstine, Lisa Aiken Butler and Vickie Smith.  There are many Meanderings and Muses entries with lots and lots of photos.

Next was last year with Donald.  And I was happy beyond words that he fell every bit as in love with the city as I did.  Again - lots of entries here about that trip and lots and lots of photos.

Donald and I stayed in an apartment on The Île Saint-Louis which is one of the two islands in the Seine. It's connected to the Île de la Cité, where Notre Dame stands, by the Pont Saint-Louis.

Our apartment was less than a mile from Notre Dame Cathedral, which meant we passed by it several times a day.

And took pictures almost every time we walked by.  Of course.

This was our last day in Paris last year. I was a tired girl. Happy and in love with Paris. Sad to say goodbye.  I think Donald captured all that in this photo.

Who could resist the charm of the gargoyles?

and it was even lovelier in the evenings.

We weren't able to see the gargoyles as well, but knew they were there doing their best to guard and protect their Lady.

I am forever grateful to have seen and been able to enter this beautiful iconic cathedral.

The feelings that came over me as I walked inside were surprising.  

I'm not a person who embraces organized religion, although that's not to say I'm not a believer in higher power.

Notre Dame Cathedral stirs feelings with its majesty and its quiet peacefulness.

And I will remember how much fun Donald and I had while taking a silly and flirty little picture of me with the dignified and graceful Lady of Paris.  

We'll be going back to Paris this year.

We will still love it.

But it won't be the same.

We will go by to pay our respects to Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.

And we will remember.

And we will cry.

And we will go back again in the future to see what she has become.

We know she will be different, but her spirit will never dim, and she will live and she will always, always be grand.

"She is rocked by the waves, but does not sink."

Many heartfelt thank you's to the 400 Parisian firefighters for risking their lives to save as much of Our Lady of Paris and her artifacts as humanly possible.

Vie associative des Sapeurs-Pompiers

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