Build them or burn them the cascade bridge why is it Golden?

 WE’LL BURN THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE COME TO IT

Unfortunately in the past few years we have been far prouder of the bridges we are famous for burning than the ones we have built or are building.  So maybe seeking peace and joy gives us an opportunity to revisit the notion of bridges?  

Depending  upon  where you call  ground zero on the big blue marble there are probably a few bridges that seem significant  to each of us. For me... there’s the Blue Water Bridge which connects Port Huron withCanada and the Mighty Mac bridge which connects the Uppers with the trolls... and these are the current bridges however there are a few more that bring. Meaning to my experiences.   There  is London Bridge which apparently  is under the US infrastructure  plan as it. Is now and has been falling down. For as long as I can recall.  There is the Bridge. Over Troubled Waters that people have built for me and that I try to build for others.  Oh and there is always the Golden Gate Bridge the Brooklyn Bridge and that Bridge I can’t remember how to spell but these people  building it during WWII  can sure whistle a great song while marching...  T

These are all great bridges and great Bridge songs even though  thinking of them doesn’t alway leave you feelin’ groovy (you thought. I forgot didn’t you? Lol)

 The Bridges I think of most are the old MacArthur  Bridge  from Burlington to Gulfport and the bridge that holds the most meaning.of all... 

The Cascade Bridge.

The Cascade Bridge spans about  100 yards and was built  in 1896.  Now for a little over a decade this bridge has been shut down thus making it necessary for people to travel a long way between a couple  places in Burlington Iowa.  But what’s a mile or two in a car?  Well the meaning  of the bridge isn’t always in the  car or the horse and buggy that used it.  You see I could  be in my bed with the window slightly open  and from a mile or so away hear vehicles  cross the bridge in the night.  The bridge had a sound of people making an effort to get connected, stay connected, get home from the park, or escape to it.  Even as a teen it reminded me that people were making efforts  to stay. Connected with nature and with each other.  That sound reminded  me that sometimes working to make a more direct connection was very important.   Today’s social media allows a lot of options some of which  allow us clearer connections than we have had and some that allow vague connections.  It seems worth. The time to figure out  what bridges in our lives have which meanings and which bridges need work.  I had this crazy thought that as the money is being used to reopen the Cascade Bridge it might be fun to hire a left leaning bridge crew to work from one end and. A right-leaning crew  to work from the other end with the exception that the left leaning. Crew have a right leaning  leadership group and vise versa.  We could prove that we literally have the capacity  to build bridges  in spite of  certain other things if we can agree upon  the notion that being connected  is a benefit to all of us.  

Anyway  in summary bridges keep us connected and  let us know that we are not alone.  Bridges can be built from either side of a gap and there  is little doubt that both sides eventually genefit.  If we don’t put energy into keeping bridges strong they  might crumble...on the other hand when bridges are strong there is no limit to the impact (known and unknown) they might have.  

I am looking forward to  once again hearing the  Cascade Bridge  in the heat of a summer night and knowing I’m not alone and people still want to stay connected.... Peace.