Where has August gone? Although summer is not officially over till next week, for some of us, it is done – especially, for parents! There are so many school preparations that are different than usual. And so it is with September 2020.
This is definitely a September to remember! A quote I recently received from my friend and former student, Gail Lowney Alofsin, is the inspiration for this reflection. It came at the perfect time, too. The quote is from Sir Isaac Newton:
“We build too many walls and not enough bridges.”
This September is definitely a time for building bridges, not walls. Walls block us from moving ahead, while bridges help us cross over to another place. A bridge connects. It helps us get from one place to another. And think about how a bridge bears its weight. For one thing, a bridge is well-grounded. Picture your favorite bridge (for me, it is the Newport Bridge in Rhode Island). Now, look at the spot where you are now, then imagine the other end of the bridge. To get over that bridge, you must be willing to change your location, or one might say your attitude, opinions, and ideas of what should be. You may need to let go of what was in your current location to cross the bridge.
If we are to cross a bridge -- and we must if we wish to be a part of September 2020 -- then we need to take a risk and journey across the span of the bridge, finding ourselves on the other side. When we arrive, things may not seem familiar. This does not mean that all is lost, if we can see the opportunities that lie before us instead of the challenges and dread. It is all a matter of choices.
Some of us may be asked to be a bridge and with that comes the responsibility to be able to expand, contract, and respond to the winds of human nature -- ours and others. It can be a burdensome weight, if we are not grounded. For us, that means being grounded in Jesus Christ. A forgiving bridge will bear the weight and provide the structure necessary for someone to cross. Are you willing to be a bridge? You will be walked over!
Whether we are traveling over the bridge or are the structure itself, we have the option of building a wall or a bridge to the next chapter in our lives. What’s your choice?
During this week you may want to consider how you can build a bridge and not a wall, as well as what walls need to come down so you can build that bridge. You may also look to see what it would be like to BE the BRIDGE!
Till next week,
Sister Theresita
