Opinion: Notre Dame Burning Reignited a Fire Within

I visited Notre Dame in Paris by myself when I was 19. I was struck by the beauty, intricacy and grandeur of such an incredible structure. It was a touching experience, an icon in Paris and without a doubt extremely beautiful. I returned to Notre Dame at 21 with one of my best friends and again, was struck by its beauty.

As almost every news outlet has broadcast, the church suffered extreme damage in a fire on April 15, 2019. It was a devastating fire for many and watching the flames streaming through the church on webcasts definitely touched a chord. That building is a large portion of history and continues to have a special place in the hearts of many. That is okay. No one is taking that away from you.

However, what really struck me was the fact that 1 billion dollars have been raised to re-build Notre Dame in less than two days. That almost makes me sick. It is undoubtedly a stunning piece of architecture and important place of worship but I’m blown away by how quickly those funds became available. In all honesty, I’m a little disgusted. We as a society are facing numerous global crises and major issues. Why aren’t we donating and providing the resources necessary to aid the human beings who are suffering?

There are children who do not have food on the table. There are families without a safe, roof over their heads. There are little girls married off and sold before their 10th birthdays. There are so many communities and people still fighting for basic human rights. We as a global community are in a scary place right now. On the blog, we are usually extremely positive but we must not be ignorant to what is currently happening in the world.

My mind has been spinning the last two days wondering what that 1 billion dollars could’ve done? How many meals could it have provided? How many warm places to sleep? How many jackets and shoes? How many chances at a fresh start? I’m saddened by society’s need for materialism. Whether you believe in God or not– material things are not fulfilling. We need to lift each other up and help those who need an extra hand. We need to share our love, our humanity. No one is more human than another.

So what are you going to do for someone else today? How will you pay it forward?

Yesterday I put some change in the parking meter next to mine because that person’s time had run out. It can be little. It doesn’t have to be a billion dollars but we need to be more globally aware. How will you use your privilege for the betterment of society? How will you lend a hand to someone else? I challenge us all to be better, to be informed, aware and conscious of how our actions affect those around us. Food for thought.