Trust

“Suddenly, all my ancestors are behind me.
‘Be still,’ they say.
‘Watch and listen.
You are the result of the love of thousands.’”
-Linda Hogan, Author

You can see the spire from anywhere in the city, but when you approach the central square, the Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg takes up your whole vision. The Cathedral is a massive, gorgeous masterpiece of Gothic architecture. It is at once, ancient and fully present, and its facade is carved in incredible detail. Every square inch seems to include a design choice — a statue, a figurine, a story being told.

Construction began in 1015 CE, and at least 10 generations of people helped build the Cathedral, concluding its construction 1439 CE. I wonder what it would have been like to see it completed after 424 years of labor, detail, and creative artwork… I wonder how that generation of people must have felt deeply connected to those who came before them.

At the same time, I also wonder what it would have been like to initiate such a grand vision, knowing you would never see it to completion and that you would have to trust the generations behind you to finish it. This takes a great deal of trust… I wonder how that first generation of people must have felt deeply connected to those who came after them.

When people build a structure collectively, there is an obvious, shared focus of the work. Our collective work and vision may feel more intangible. Nevertheless, there is a through-line there as well. We are receiving the work of others, and we building upon the work of others. This is highly connectional and trust-filled.

—Renee Roederer