Day 19 – Crossing Bridges

It is day nineteen of my June ‘Accentuate the Positive’ blog challenge.  Today I am dedicating my blog to bridges and to overcoming the challenges that have presented themselves in my life. 👍

One of the challenges in my life that I have overcome was my fear of crossing bridges.   (Fear is way too benign of a word to describe my bridge phobia).  For the first sixty some years of my life I struggled with anxiety and panic attacks.  For the most part, they did not stop me from ever doing what I had to do, but I certainly avoided doing things that I knew would trigger my anxiety.   One of the things that I avoided was crossing bridges. 

The very first memory that I could ever remember of my life was of crossing a bridge in sheer terror.    I was two or three years old and my mother and her friend would take my sister and I on Sunday walks, which would inevitably include crossing one of, if not THE sketchiest bridges on the planet.  A few years ago, I decided that this memory may well have been the trigger for my anxiety issues and that it would be helpful if I returned to the scene of the crime and crossed this bridge (as a rational adult).   My husband agreed to take me to confront my demons so for our anniversary we headed off to Souris, Manitoba to cross the swinging bridge.

When we got to Souris, I discovered two things.   The original swinging bridge had been replaced by a much sturdier and safer looking bridge and a section of the original bridge was kept as a monument of sorts to the brave fools who had once crossed it.   It was a narrow,  flimsy bit of chicken wire and boards – every bit as bad as I had remembered over the years. 

I had come to cross a bridge and I decided that since it wasn’t my fault that the original bridge had been replaced, I would cross the new one and call it a win.    So I did it!  I crossed the new bridge.   It was such a monumental moment that I have loved crossing bridges ever since!

So, in honor of bridges and the crossing of them, I would like to share a few pictures of bridges today.

Nineteen days down and only eleven more days to go! I hope my little selection of bridges provided a positive moment in your day.

Take care and I will see you tomorrow!💞