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(1 of 10) The important thing to remember about the #NotreDameFire is that Notre Dame Cathedral, like other old buildings, is a "living, breathing" structure. It's not just some old unchanging relic, it has been affected and changed by every century it's existed in.
(2 of 10) Notre Dame was designed by some of the best the 12th century had to offer. Over the 200 years it took to build, generations put their work into it, with the best engineering of the time employed. Over the next few hundred years, various elements were replaced or added.
(3 of 10) Statues had been damaged by Huguenots in the 16th century. The choir was rebuilt with marble. Entire original stained glass windows were removed and replaced to let in more light. One statue dating from the 15th century was totally destroyed in the 18th century.
(4 of 10) The original spire was demolished in the 18th century due to wind damage. It was replaced with a new one in the 19th century. Some of the famous stained glass windows had their glass totally replaced in the 19th century. Some were damaged and replaced after WWII.
(5 of 10) Not to mention later restorations/additions. Now, fire has destroyed the wood roof & spire (which was newer), along with some other elements (like rose windows, which were in part newer), but the vaulted ceiling survived and Notre Dame is otherwise mostly un-destroyed. 
(6 of 10) A similar thing happened to León Cathedral. It recovered. Notre Dame will recover, its damaged elements repaired, its destroyed elements rebuilt. Some old relics and elements can't be truly replaced, but such is the way these things go.
(7 of 10) If it didn't happen now in this way, it would have likely happened later some other way, maybe worse. Perhaps the roof or spire would have eventually been replaced anyway due to the toll time takes on such things. It's unfortunate but inevitable.
(8 of 10) Previous changes and replacements were made with the best that was available in centuries past. Now a new roof and spire will be built with the best the 21st century has to offer. Stronger, hopefully fire-resistant, but just as elegant as before.
(9 of 10) Who knows, maybe some other future catastrophe will strike Notre Dame. If it survives, even in part, it will be another chapter of history, with future technology and skill used to bring it back to pristine condition by people with a love for architecture and art.
(10 of 10) Every century since the 12th has left a mark on Notre Dame, sometimes due to tragic events, sometimes because someone wanted to improve some aspect of it. From the 12th to 21st centuries, it's endured and will continue to endure. This isn't the end, it's a new chapter.
I should add that while I say the ceiling survived, it did take damage. A massive hole punched by the falling spire with its debris on the floor below, and a few smaller holes it seems. But it's mostly intact & seems to have protected most of the interior from direct fire damage.
Here's a thing to show the nature of the damage. The wood roof & spire (red) burned. The debris (orange) piled/burned atop the inner vaulted stone ceiling (green). The stone ceiling *mostly* protected the lower interior from major fire destruction except for where the spire fell.
(11) What I mentioned here of Notre Dame's history isn't even complete. I didn't mention how it was essentially half-ruined in the 19th century, until being restored (with its "new" spire), or other stories of damage & repair. In fact, many elements dated to the 19th century.
The point of this thread is to offer a present perspective of history. Simply put, it's sad to see the 19th-century spire lost, but in 200 years, people in the 23rd century will marvel at the old 21st-century spire. If that falls, 25th-century people will appreciate the next one.
