In one’s life there are places that are truly special. For me the home I grew up in, my parents’ land in Northern Wisconsin, Walden Pond in Concord, MA. Another of these special places was destroyed yesterday morning. The church building in Cambridge, MA, across from Longfellow’s house burned down yesterday. This was the building where I met some amazing people and forged lasting friendships that have saved my life over the years. My son was blessed in the chapel. I taught Primary and Relief Society lessons there. It was a refuge for my family where we could connect with other graduate student families each week and support each other. I met so many wonderful people there and the memories of many Sundays and other activities come back to my mind.
I know that the Church will rebuild. I hope they can save the steeple and somehow use it in the new design. I hope that it is unique rather than the bland, cookie-cutter chapels which dot the country. This building was special. It had character. It was bright and inspiring inside. It was ours… and even though one leaves the Longfellow Park building to go on to other pastures, it still is ours… it still felt like home.
Perhaps it’s a bit dramatic that I feel this way about bricks and mortar. However to me, it was so much more than that. All I can say is that today…. a piece of my heart is gone.
