Finding Purpose in this Season
I have always had a fascination with bridges. To envision, design, and build a structure that can last for centuries, often as the only pathway connecting two distinct points has always been a source of amazement. Most bridges are built to withstand any human element and can withstand tons of weight. I could go on and on about all the cool facts and defying concepts that go into construction of bridges.
It wasn’t until I became a young adult that I started to recognize that my love for bridges, in many ways, is connected to how I found my life’s purpose.
- As a young Black woman raised in the South, my parents and village always taught me that education was the key to me reaching my goals. My favorite author, Ralph Ellison said that “education is all a matter of building bridges.”
- Raised in the African American Methodist Episcopal Church and reinforced in my community, I knew that my freedom and choice in life was possible by those who came before me. So many times, I have found solace and strength in the example and words of Fannie Lou Hamer - “never to forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over.”
- And in a world full of beauty and amazing human beings and creations - like bridges - there remains a seemingly bottomless pit of hate, harm, trauma, and pain. I have learned how to not only navigate through times of deep pain but to also transform the pain into inspiration, courage, and fight. Frida Kahlo once said that “passion is the bridge that takes you from pain to change.”
At this season in my life, I continue to honor and call on my ancestors, always try to assume a posture of learning and growth, and as the world continues to witness and experience pain, I am often overwhelmed at the amount of change that is needed. This moment has me, and us all, questioning connections, being apprehensive about building with others, and hesitant to trust enough to even cross any bridge.
I have recently been contemplating if there is a time when a bridge becomes a barrier or liability. As I continue to explore this, I am asking myself....
- How will bridges lead me to a deeper purpose in this season of my life?