Determination : Story behind Brooklyn Bridge, New York
In 1883, a creative engineer named
John Roebling was inspired by an idea to
build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However
bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an
impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be
done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.
Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He
thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be
done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion
and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming
engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Brooklyn Bridge, New
York Ph by Arun(at)arundigitalworld.com
Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts
of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome.
With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge
before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a
tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was
injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in
him not being able to walk or talk or even move.
"We told those so “,” Crazy men and their crazy dreams"; "It’s foolish to
chase wild visions." Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that
the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who
knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was
never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and
his mind was still as sharp as ever.
He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but
they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital
room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew
the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops
of the trees outside for just a moment. It seemed that there was a message
for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move
one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he
slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted
her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her
arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was
under way again. For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with
his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today
the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a
tribute to the
triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be
defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their
team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the
world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his
wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and
told the engineers what to do. Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a
never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and
achieves an impossible goal.
Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very
small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge
shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination
and persistence, no matter what the odds are.
Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and
persistence.