Inspiration or revelation can come upon you anytime, anywhere. I was walking along the street today hunting for dinner when I came across a girl wearing a T-shirt with the words “May The Bridges I Burn Light The Way”
Whoa! For a moment I thought that was a new Star Wars blessing that the rebellion say to each other before a suicide mission.
They always say, “Dont burn bridges. You never know when you need to cross them again.”. The words of that t-shirt gave a new mind-blowing meaning relating to burning bridges.
For some unknown reason this reminds me of the movie “300”. It’s based on a true battle in 480 BC between a huge Persian army like a swarm of locusts and remaining 300 Spartans. Often in life we are faced with hard decisions that must be made facing sudden negative circumstances that befall on us. However, a decision is still a decision, be it a “good” or “bad” decision. Just like what General Leonidas of the remaining 300 who were pushed into a corner during then, needs to make.
Facing the Devil or the deep blue see, General Leonidas decided, with majority consensus, to fight it out knowing that it would be a one-way ticket. A great motivation for that decision was that they committed to do their utmost to protect their families and the land to death. They then intentionally destroyed their escape route so the only way is forward; to death. Without “burning” that “bridge”, they would not have that undying resolve to move ahead.
They were told that the enemy had so many archers that “their arrows will cover the sun” when they rained down on them. The leader of the 300, Leonidas, was known to have replied,
“Good. Then we would fight in the shade.”
Although you and I are not in in military war, there is still much wars that wage in our minds. Often the no. 1 reason that we burn bridges is that we chose to move forward deciding that it’s the best either for ourselves or for the greater good. When we began to journey into that new dimly lit territory, we are also tempted to retract our steps and run back and seek comfort. That is when we need to remind ourselves that no matter what, the burning flickering flames will light the way, come hell or high water.
Making a decision is better than prolonged sitting on the fence. By not making a decision, we are actually choosing to passively allow the circumstances to occur and dictate our lives. Like a leaf in the wind, that feeling of losing control over our own lives or destiny, is shitty. You know the feeling. Unless we sit down with a pen and paper and lists down factors such as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT analysis), risks, costs and objectives, that shitty feeling is going to eat up your soul. Dont go down that slippery path.
Your bridges are different from mine and everyone else. You know which bridge needs to be maintained, and which ones to burn. These bridges are often the unhealthy barriers that hinder us from reaching our full potential. Bridges such as a smoking, drug addition, self-pity, resentment, unforgiveness and anything that tie us down and draining our body, soul and spirit.
When you see the bridges burn, that light of those flames will light your way. That sense of freedom experienced when the shackles are broken, is exhilarating. When the initial high fades away, whats left is that resolve and that flame, which you need to conjure out inside you. Even if that flame is dim but enough only for the next 1 step, its good enough. Even a ladder is meant to be climbed one step at a time.
“May the Force..”, I mean “May the Bridges YOU burn light YOUR way”.
[Disclaimer- I am not advocating “burning bridges” such as smashing your ex’s car with a baseball bat (a lady friend of mine did that 10 yeas ago) or leave a big stinky fish in your drawer and jam up the keyhole on your last day of work. You get the picture.]
#maythebridgesyouburnlightyourway #motivation
#300
Transform Dissonances Into Resonances 