A Bridge Too Far

 Morbi has been a terrible tragedy, highly avoidable, the bridge collapsed under extreme stress of two kinds, physical going beyond its designed capacity and of man's greed. The FOMO syndrome, fear of missing out probably was responsible for the number of visitors on the bridge on that unfortunate day. We all are greedy in some way or the other, greedy for information, greedy for money, greedy for food...

Bridges  are an innovation of the human kind which  have surmounted every possible obstacle, be it river in spate, across seas, deep valleys and ravines, our innovative Engineers have designed and erected one marvel after another facilitating mobility. A sign of progress whether in life or in battlefield. Army Engineers have erected bridges in a jiffy over all kinds of obstacles giving an edge to the troops over their adversaries. Suspension bridges typically were constructed where traditional bridges on beams, arches etc are not feasible due to logistical difficulties. The sappers may correct me if the perception is invalid. Sappers construct bridges and also demolish them when needed to deny the same to the adversary. Sappers have been at the forefront of bridging activity everywhere whether it was the Commonwealth Games, which incidentally was accomplished in just six days and they didn't even rest on the seventh!  Mumbai Railway foot overbridge too required Army to step in to salvage the situation by sending their Sappers as saviours.

Bridging of obstacles or gaps are essential, so we have 'bridge' courses in academics to cover the gap in scholarly pursuits and even dentists provide you dental 'bridges' once again to cover the gaps in your teeth. Then there are the Cam"bridge" or Ox"bridge" variety who have 'bridged' the major obstacle of social hierarchy and "have arrived" in the society,  by their bridge connections. Although they take great pains to prevent any 'bridging' with the masses preserving their  elite class. As if this was not enough, we have the Bridge players who would prefer a No Trumps to any other suite. 

Admirals are more at home on the nautical bridge, after all that is their seat of power,  but the "Old Man at the Bridge" Ernest  Hemingway would not have been amused at the shenanigans. "The Bridge over River Kwai" proved that where there is a will there is a "Way" at least Hollywood was convinced about that. Although the "Bridge was a little Too Far" in Operation Market Garden during the Second World War. More recently it is the "Crimean Bridge" or the Kerch Strait Bridge, which has been making waves for all the wrong reasons, if you look at it from the Russian point of view. Wonder if Simon and Garfunkel will compose something new on  this  "Bridge over Troubled Waters". The litterateurs would warn against 'burning our bridges' but we can't seek refuge behind "we will cross the bridge when we come to it" as we have actually reached a point of no return, can't possibly keep procrastinating all our lives. As it is there is enough "water under the bridge" before you fall prey and land up with the "Brooklyn bridge".....