The Bridge

Once there was a bridge.
Over dangerous currents
It stood tall and stately
Strong, sure, comfortable.
Never minding the waters below
For the bridge understood:
Currents will flow as they will
And will not be controlled.

One day a man came to the bridge
Curious as to what might lay
Beyond the dangerous waters
He asked:
“What lay beyond these waters you span?”
And the bridge answered:
“Good sir, that is for you to see…
I am just a bridge. I can only offer safe passage.”
The young man thought about it
Trusting the bridge, he stepped out over the water
The bridge was sturdy and somewhat alive
It made the man feel comfortable
He stepped further out over the planks
Noticing that there were some worn areas
And muddy tracks all over,
The man asked:
“Bridge, why is it you are so humble to spread yourself out before men? Why do you let them walk on you to and fro, leaving behind muddy traces. Does it not bother you to be trodden upon?”
and the bridge answered:
“I am a bridge. I provide safe passage. It is my nature to be strong and sure. Were I not trodden upon, I would not be serving my purpose in this world.”
Admiring the bridge’s wisdom he traveled out further.
Looking ahead
He began to realize
The bridge spanned a great, great distance.
Longer than he could originally see
And he again became frightened
“Bridge, what if I can not live in the lands beyond these waters? What if I am not happy there? What if I don’t like it there?”
“What if you CAN? What if you ARE? What if you DO?
Besides, if you are not happy there, COME BACK. But I must warn you, the view from the other side is different than you know now. My friend, Fear can steal your life. Wherever you choose to live, Be there.”
And with this, the man traveled on further over the horrible waters.
And soon he saw the other side
Enticing him in the distance.
But the dark, cold waters threatened him.
So fearing he would suffer he worried:
“Bridge, I am cold. It is in your nature to stand strong and true over such waters but I am just a man. I need warmth and safety. I am unsure of this journey. I am afraid.”
And the bridge said:
“Again, I offer you safe passage. You must carry on at your own discretion. The answers to your uncertainties are within you. Do what you must do to survive. But understand, no man can live on a bridge for very long.”
And so thinking long and hard,
The man took up some of the boards
And built a fire for warmth as he rested.
But the wood burned too readily and too eagerly and soon an inferno raged
And the panicked man ran home to his shore
And it was unexpected how fast he was back to where he had once started, and then beyond.
The man left the bridge ablaze
And defeated, wandered down the shore in search of another way
But found none.
None so kind.
None so sure.
None so comfortable.
And so weeping he returned to the spot the bridge once stood
But to his surprise, the bridge was uninjured
Standing strong and stately
Over the horrible currents below.
Still kind,
Still sure,
Still comfortable
The man cried:
“Bridge, you are still here, unharmed.
I thought for sure I had burned you up and that you were destroyed to me forever.”
And the bridge spoke:
“My friend, you have many, many miles left in your journey. And you have many more bridges you will cross in the course of your travels. Know that any act you do in order to survive is just that.
However, what ever you do, do it with respect. Even acts of love can exploit if they are not done with Respect. And although some bridges may burn,
They are not necessarily totally consumed.”
And with that, the man walked out over the water.
And he was safe.

Austerberto R. Palis, Jr.
March 18, 2003; 17:04pm