2nd April 2025
We speed through life, trying to reach personal and professional goals, and we drive over many bridges to get there.
Unless you are aware of what you leave behind, you might accidentally burn a bridge rather than leaving it stronger.
A story I came across recently reinforces the same.
As a man pushed through the thick forest, His feet crunched against the damp earth, the air filled with the scent of leaves & soil, Birds called from a distance, their songs echoing through the trees.
After a long walk, he reached a river. It was wide & fast, the water rushing past with force. He looked around for a way across, but there was none. If he wanted to continue, he would have to build a bridge.
Slowly, he gathered strong branches, tied them together with vines & placed logs to hold everything in place.
When the bridge was ready, he tested it carefully, one step at a time, until he reached the other side.
Relieved, he could have moved on, But he didn’t.
Instead, he turned back & reinforced the bridge, making it stronger & safer.
He knew others would come this way, and he wanted to help them.
Just then, another traveler arrived & watched him curiously.
“You’ve already crossed,” the traveler said, “Why are you still working on the bridge?”
The man smiled & replied, “Because someone else will need it too, I struggled to cross, but now others won’t have to.”
The traveler nodded and stepped onto the bridge, grateful for the stranger’s kindness.
Ask yourself: What bridges are you leaving behind?
Are we leaving our relationships better,
Are we leaving the world a better place with our thoughts & actions.
As we climb this ladder of life, we need to be mindful of how we take each step. Are we walking over others to reach the top of the ladder? Do we ignore others to move forward?
What we don’t realize is the same people we meet on the way up in life, will be the same ones we meet when we come down the ladder.
There will be moments in our life when we take a step back in growth & those key relationships will be needed once again.
Don’t burn all bridges,
leave behind bridges better than you found them & stay blessed forever.