Burj Khalifa is impressive, especially as you get closer to the building. Towering over half a mile into the sky, as one stands at the base and looks up, the 163 floors seem to rise endlessly into the sky. The building has residences, offices, hotel space, and restaurants. As I look at the building from a distance, I wonder what was imagined as the first steps began in building out the reality of an Emirati vision for the future.
The Burj Khalifa dream seems impossible. A parent’s dream seems impossible when s/he first meets her or his child. The tiny example of life, the extraordinary potential which, though unrealized, is tangibly real, infuses everyone with hope. I close my eyes and remember my emotions and thoughts from those first few minutes, then hours, and days. As hopeful as I was, I am continuously inspired by the woman who came from this foundation cornerstone.
Great edifices do not always follow old rules. The design of the Burj Khalifa took many Middle Eastern design principles into new ways to deal with the wind, heat, sand, and marine elements. The inspirational role a desert flower and plant played with the is one that triggers a reflection within itself. Letting nature talk with a willingness to listen is at the heart of the journey to let Life’s whispers guide one’s learning.
Great dreams will disappear unless they come to life and live on. After more than a decade, it still inspires, as it provides a home and foundation for the community which traverses its hallways every day. The foundational principles of the design are validated as the building is challenged by marine fog, sandstorms, and extreme heat. The complexity in logistics seems overwhelming, however a decade plus of viable occupancy speaks to the possibilities of hard work, discipline, and commitment.
As incredible as the Burj Khalifa is, the edifice each life represents is even more inspiring. Divinity “built a monument – his very own people! Praise from all who love God! Israel’s children, intimate friends of God. Hallelujah!” (Psalm 148.14).
