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I cried the first time I saw Notre Dame(巴黎圣母院) years ago. I'd waited my entire life to see this great French structure, and experienced its full glory on a bright sunny day. Last night, I cried again for the centuries-old church while watching it burn.
I hadn't expected to spend my evening that way. My friend and I were having dinner at a cafe a block or so away from Notre Dame, choosing to skip going inside with the intention of going back the next day.
However, we heard that it caught fire, so we left the cafe and ran towards the church, following heavy smoke from it, and soon we joined a nearly silent crowd. Some were praying, some were crying, but most were staring in disbelief at the disaster happening before us. The fire continued to get worse. About 400 firefighters were working to control the fire. We could see their flashlights shining as they inspected the front from a balcony.
Notre Dame is part of the heartbeat of Paris. I reflected on the experiences I'd had there, from attending a bread market out front to admiring the beautiful windows and architecture inside. It is a spot that helps make Paris magical. And here we were, watching it bum down. It was too much to handle it, but it was impossible to look away.
At about 9:30 pm, the gathered crowd spontaneously(自发地) began to sing hymns(圣歌) to the church. We sang along with the group, feeling at once less like tourists but more like members of them. I hadn't imagined all that before.
For hundreds of years, Notre Dame has seen the most joyous and the most terrible moments in the lives of both France and her people. And when everyone was able to become one emotional force, it showed that even in her darkest hour, Notre Dame was still there to bring us all together.