This bridge is one of my favs. It has precious memories for me that I won’t ever forget. The bridge is located near my residence and in the summer my daughter Hannah and I will walk down to this bridge late at night so we can watch the firefly show. It is amazing how dark it gets in this wooded area. We will often sit or lay on the bridge spending an hour or more watching the little lights blinking in the darkness. Such a beautiful sight and so very peaceful for us both.
One of the beautiful parts of my relationship with Hannah is her ability to understand my heart and my relationship with Father. She will quietly sit with me while I am silently having a conversation with Him. She always wants the updates and all the details when I come to conclusions. I love sitting with Hannah while we are both seeking truth for our own lives. The peacefulness and the stillness between us are treasures to me.
Father speaks through Hannah as she always knows how far to push me, what questions to ask, what song to play, what movie to reference, what picture to show me, how far she should probe, etc. I am always amazed at her ability to lift me up, encourage me, draw information out of me, direct the conversations, and send me into fits of laughter with her sassy wicked wit. I cherish our love and our friendship. She is a gift to me.
A Memory
A couple of years ago, Hannah and I were standing outside around 11:30 one evening. She said to me…let’s walk down and watch the firefly show. I thought it was a marvelous idea. Off we went to enjoy the show. My conversation with Father that night and into the early morning was really sweet. Sweet to taste, sweet to feel, sweet to smell. It was about bridges…ironically so.
Around 1, we decided to walk down the riverfront. It was quiet as everyone was in bed. We had the riverfront to ourselves. As always, my conversation with Father never ends and neither does my conversation with Hannah when we are together. She gives me the space to reflect gently asking questions when she determines I have gotten something. She knows my body language that well. I marvel at how she studies me and how well she knows the cues.
She had taken my phone from me as we were walking…common occurrence…and she was taking a picture of the lock and dam while I sat down on a nearby bench to take in the colored lights reflecting on the water. Father began to sing a song to me…Love Can Build a Bridge…by the Judds. I began to weep. Hannah came over and waited beside me…knowing Father was doing a work in my heart. She asked…she had never heard the song before, so I played it for her. Such a sweet memory for me.
The Bridge
I took this picture one morning this week. Tonto and I were walking here. After our walk, I went back with my camera and snapped this picture. It was a rainy dreary day and that sign…slippery when wet…is NO joke. Nearly busted my rear end on that bridge twice that morning. WOW! As I age, those falls get a bit scarier.
I was reminded that love is a bridge…it does connect hearts together. But also…so does humility, repentance, and forgiveness.
I recently went through another round of betrayals. I am not sure if I am getting used to them or what the deal is…but the hits don’t seem to hurt like they used to. On the positive side…I actually got to witness love, humility, and repentance in action this round. While walking on this bridge again…I was thinking about how forgiveness is a loving act. Without forgiveness in the heart…there is no true connection available. Forgiveness is a sign of love. Part of what defines love. I think it is beautiful…even in my own heart…even when I am the one having to dole it out.
Repentance…born out of love and humility of heart…builds a bridge between two people who otherwise could not have a true connection from the heart.
Those qualities in man…are beautiful. Very restorative. Healing. Soothing. 🥰
Be the bridge.