I am sad

The news out of Paris makes me cry

     I have been to Notre Dame twice, and now I am thankful I went.
     The first time, Jackie and I went into the church and I climbed the tower.  I was up in the land of Quasimodo and pigeons and gargoyles and it was pretty amazing.
     I remember a young man who started talking to me.  He much have been high school age, and was from somewhere out east, like Pennsylvania or Ohio.  His dad worked for NATO in Brussels.  His mom and him made frequent trips to Paris and stayed at a hotel somewhere near Notre Dame.
     He showed me how he takes pictures with the gargoyles that make them look like they have Eiffel Tower in their mouths.  If I remember, he went to the church a lot and when the people touring  were asked to move on, the guards usually let him stay because they knew him.  I think you were limited to 15 or 20 minutes on the top before you had to leave so the next group could come up.  He stayed for hours at a time.
     When not on the tower or in the church, he said he could look out his hotel window and see the magnificent structure.  I thought of him tonight.
     The second time I went was with my friend SK.  She opted to climb to the top, but my legs were sore, so I sat on the square below, taking pictures of people's shoes.
      I wish now I had gone up instead.   I am thankful I had to opportunity to sit in the center of Paris and stare up at those magnificent towers.
     I can't imagine Paris without the church.
     I have heard it can be rebuilt, but it will take billions of Euros.  And years of work by craftsmen with talents that are disappearing from our modern world.
     Standing inside, looking at the stained glass windows, the soaring roof, the magnificent altar, I was truly touched in a way I never thought I would be.
      I had tears today when I saw the magnificent lady surrounded by smoke and flames.  Such a loss.
Peace and Love