BUILD BRIDGES OVER GRUDGES

A bridge is a structure spanning and providing passage over a river, chasm, road or the likes. It is structural because it requires efforts, designs and expatriate to build. The river, chasm, road and the likes are the grudges we need to build bridges over.

As individuals no matter the colour or age we all find ourselves in relationships and affairs where we need the skill of building bridges for sustaining and keeping those relationships.   

 It is so easy to profess we really are bridge builders but when we examine closely we discover we have been guilty too.

Here is a story of two brothers who lived next to each other for years and have lived happily as neighbours and partners for years. One day a rift sprang up between them. It was the first rift in 40years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning, there was a knock on John’s door, He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox ‘’I’m looking for a few days work,” he said

Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?

  “Yes,” said the older brother “I do have a job for you look across the creek at the farm. That’s my neighbour, in fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll go him one better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence –an 8 foot fence, so I won’t need to see his place anymore. Cool him down anyhow.”

The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”

The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.

The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sowing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all it was a bridge. A bridge stretched from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work handrails and all- and the neighbour, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched

“You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.”

The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. “No, wait! Stay a few days I’ve a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother

“I’d love to stay on, the carpenter said; I have many more bridges to build”

We keep complaining about why this world isn’t a better place even at the point where we put all efforts into it, but we can’t manage crisis and grudges. No one wants to be the victim but we all end up being the victim why? The problem with many people is expecting others to do to us what we don’t do.

 I wasn’t surprised when I saw this quote that says:

“We have a long way to go before we are able to hear the voices of everyone on earth, but I believe that providing voices and building bridges is essential for the world peace we all wish for” –Joichi Ito  

  I’m sure we all admire the carpenter in the short story. He acted with wisdom and great purpose not forgetting he was a selfless fellow. There is always an opportunity to build bridges and the little actions we make makes the difference of whether we are building bridges over grudges or we are destroying the existing ones.

Thanks

Wish you a fabulous weekend!

Marioti