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When I saw the flames above Notre-Dame de Paris this past Monday, my mind spontaneously was taken aback and flooded with disbelief. For 24-hours my thoughts and attention were fully, at times, otherwise at least partially, holding onto this image and event. And then I began to wonder, why?
After all, undoubtedly far more people hold the 12th century cathedral to be more dear and significant in their lives than I possibly could. First of all, I am not Catholic, and secondly, I am not French, nor do I live in Paris. So why was this event holding onto my mind and making we unconsciously long to travel to Paris tout-a-suite!?
The next day a student in my class eloquently described the why that answered my question - it was part of my journey. It was part of my journey regarding my appreciation for France, but also my re-imagining how to live a life that spoke to me and felt most in alignment with my predilections and tendencies, my passions, but also what I valued. No, it was not precisely Notre-Dame, but rather her
location, her long history in the City of Light, and the reality that I saw her with my own eyes during my first trip to France which continues to tug at my suitcase and wanderlust that held my emotions in their grip this week.
I know that there has followed controversy regarding the donations that will enable the cathedral to remain and return to its glory, but the truth is the cathedral matters in so many people's lives for a reason that only they can truly understand. And no, we shouldn't become attached, but rather hold within us the value and inspiration the past, the building, the
experience brought into our lives, but what if we can save it (we can), what if it can continue to stand and inspire millions of others who have yet to see it in generations to come? (it absolutely could) Then shouldn't we?
There is a fascinating question that is posed in the documentary The Rape of Europa regarding the artwork that the Monuments Men risked their lives to recover during WWII - Is art worth dying for? The good news is, nobody died during this tragedy nor was severely injured, and most certainly a life should be saved before a piece of art, but perhaps the reason, the cathedral's burning was visceral for
so many of us is because we, in that moment, recognized the fragility of the places we have visited that played a pivotal role in our lives, and we are now more fully aware of our good fortune.
As I shared in my IG post regarding the event, may this event teach us to deepen our gratitude, tap into, rather than igorne, and bring forth our unique strengths and share them with the world so that the now, the present moment, is enriched and fulfilling.
In many ways, without planning, this week on the blog turned into a mini-French Week. Beginning with a recipe I have always wanted to make and master to the best of my ability - French croissants (so scrumptious! I do hope you try for yourself), an Outfit of the Week inspired by what one might wear if they were traveling about the south of France this summer, a Style Inspiration post
that even has "French" in the title of the sartorial trick, and, to be sure, a few Francophile finds in this week's This & That.
I do hope you enjoy this week's newsletter. Many listeners have been asking about the podcast, and so I just want to remind, it is returning with brand new episodes on Monday May 20th! I cannot wait to return, but am so thankful for your understanding as I use this extra time that would have been given to producing the podcast each week to my teaching as this is the busiest time of year for me. Needless to
say, the ideas are stacking up, and I cannot wait to share.
If you are celebrating Easter or Passover this weekend, I hope you have a wonderful gathering and feast, and if you are looking ahead to a spring/fall weekend (don't you just love these shoulder seasons? They are my favorite for the temperatures and pace of life), I hope you have a lovely few days of enjoyment. Until next Friday, I'll see you on the blog.
