I absolutely love it when someone says something that makes me look at things in a completely different light. That happened today, and the topic was drawbridges. After working on drawbridges for 21 years, you’d think I’d have contemplated them from every possible angle, but this was a fresh perspective for me, and I was delighted.
The comment in question was added to one of my most popular blog posts, entitled Bridge Symbolism. I don’t know Shubhanshi Gupta personally, but she writes a blog called Petrichor, and, based on my admittedly brief glance, it seems to be quite full of profound thoughts. I may have to give it a closer look.
In the meantime, here is the comment she left for me:
“what I find interesting about is how they manage to integrate two different worlds together at the same time- land and water. It’s like the bridge is rooted in the ground under the water body, and it’s surrounded by water everywhere till eyes can see, but deep down, it’s touching land at the base and both it’s two ends. And in spite of all this, it lets us transit over water without having to touch it.”
Whoa. It’s as if she has stripped bridges down to their most basic components. And she draws attention to the fact that they are straddling two elements, earth and water, protecting us from one, and transporting us to the other. Bridges are portals, if you think about it. They help us transition from one place to another.
Perhaps that’s why so many people linger on my bridge and gaze down at the water. They are gathering themselves for what’s on the other side, while perhaps feeling nostalgic about what, or whom, they just left. No wonder I have always thought this job was so magical. I may never look at a bridge in the same way again.
Thank you, Shubhanshi, for your insight! I hope you’ll share many more with us on my blog. I always enjoy new perspectives. The broader the horizon, the more one gets to see.
I’ll leave you with another delightful perspective in the form of art:
Like this quirky little blog? Then you’ll enjoy my book! http://amzn.to/2mlPVh5
The View from a Drawbridge 
Abstraction towards elements. It’s great to see you blog about something happy…
For me it’s the complementation between open in one direction and shut in the other and then vice versa, and tween one route high up and the other low down, taking turns; the sense of almost geological massiveness versus the delicacy and grace of the motion, and the sense of reaching toward the sky, and the straight lines and angles that are displayed. Plus, it even has a voice–I’ve heard them from 2 miles. A similar analysis of vertical lifts or swings is left to other pontists who might be reading here. I might check out that other blog too, but I think I need breakfast first.
As usual, a very astute response, Angi! I love that I work on something that provides so much opportunity for symbolism and significance. It makes me proud of being its caretaker.
Thanks, and how could I forget the symmetry?
Thank you for this beautiful piece of writing, Babel!
I’m not sure if that’s your name but the notification about this blog made me really happy!
I’m glad you got to see a new perspective to the bridge through me! I read this line somewhere: It’s not about what you look at, it’s about what you see! Guess it fits here. 🙂
I have two books pages:
Petrichor
A Beginning Called December of 2020
Looking forward to hearing from you!
It’s always great to have a fresh perspective! I hope you’ll keep supplying them to the world! -Barb