Out of Notre Dame's ashes comes some hope. [View all]
Yes, it was a disaster of monumental significance. But now that the smoke is clearing, we're seeing signs of hope. The building itself survived. Miraculously, the rose windows survived. Much of the artwork was saved. And France's wealthy families have pledged about $700 million to restore the cathedral (https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/16/business/francois-henri-pinault-bernard-arnault-notre-dame-donation/index.html).
Whenever there's a disaster like this, we see people coming together to help. I'm just amazed that they've been able to raise that much money after less than 24 hours. The commitment of the French people to come together and rebuild that beautiful cathedral warms my heart.
Fred Rogers often told this story about when he was a boy and would see scary things on the news: My mother would say to me, Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mothers words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers so many caring people in this world.