The Biggest Motivator - The Story of Brooklyn Bridge
A Story of Can DO Outlook, Devotion, Love…
| Mr. Mehul G. Thakkar National Award Nominee Trainer & HR Faculty, MBA Programme, SRIMCA |
It was in September 2004, when I first ever heard the inspirational story behind the world famous Brooklyn Bridge. In his humble sincere attempt to convince me for not leaving his institute by showing me the bigger picture and the missionary zeal coupled with a far sighted vision, the then MD of GNFC Mr. Deepak Taunk Sir, whom I always salute as a man who really believed and still believes in the "Power of People", narrated this story to me. The discussion, even though stimulating, touchy and emotional; could not change my predetermined notion to join BPKM institution at my home pitch. But, that entire episode has changed my way of looking at problems of life and career. Since then, the story of Brooklyn Bridge has stayed with me. It has actually created miracles for me, helped me in adverse situations and enabled me to continue to believe in myself. I have been frequently referring to this story during my classroom lectures, my training sessions as well as in my occasional journeys within myself. Every time, I read this story, I feel recharged from within and develop a tougher, more positive, and more fighting outlook towards adversity in life and / or career. Talking straight from the heart, this story can be referred to as a monument to man's ingenuity and creativity, a symbol of devotion - love - unquestionable loyalty of a woman, a mile stone of a man's amazing outlook of challenging the destiny and so on.
Now, without raising your adrenalin level much; let me quote the facts of this world famous steel suspension bridge - the Brooklyn Bridge - which I refer as the Biggest Motivator at least for me.
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. It connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening until 1903, and the first ever steel-wire suspension bridge. Originally referred to as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, it was dubbed the Brooklyn Bridge in a letter to the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and formally so named by the city government in 1915. Since its opening, it has become an iconic part of the New York skyline. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
It all started with a wild, crazy, strange looking, strictly speaking prima facie a mad idea / dream of a creative engineer named John Roebling, who 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. In a sense, John Roebling heard all those age old criticisms that many of us frequently encounter in our life and / or career when we try to accomplish something different that appears to be challenging to others. But, 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 upcoming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Working together for the first time, this homely team of 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.
Construction began on January 3, 1870. The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site appeared to have shattered the dream. John Roebling's foot slipped into a group of pylons from the shake of an incoming ferry. This badly crushed his toes, causing those toes to be amputated, leaving him incapacitated; he later died of an infection related to his injury and leaving his son, Washington Roebling, in charge of the bridge. The actual construction started under the younger Roebling. Not long after taking charge of the bridge, Washington Roebling suffered a paralyzing injury as well, the result of decompression sickness. This condition plagued many of the underwater workers, in different capacities, as the condition was relatively unknown at the time and in fact was first called "caisson disease" by the project physician Dr. Andrew Smith. So, Washington was left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.
That's it!!! The critics were only waiting for such thing to happen. They all started…
"We told them 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 situation, 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. This happens to most of us. We must understand that "Success always has many fathers, while failure is orphan." In such situation, you must remember that there are always two hands ready to help you, and those are your own hands. So, a strong belief in own alma matter helps a lot in keeping you focused, not allowing you to lose your sight, and thereby coping with adverse situations.
And believe me friends, whenever one door is closed, you can expect the other one being opened up for you, if you have the vision (sight) to recognize it. You should not lose faith in own self as well as the almighty, as he might have thought a better way / option for you. As he - Mr. Washington 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. It was just similar to visualizing a silver line in the midst of dark clouds.
And imagine whom he thought of as a possible helping hand! She was none other than his better half - Emily Warren Roebling who was determined to stand by her husband in all circumstances. Then, it was this lady's devotion, unquestioned loyalty that made the entire herculean task a more manageable.
Ironically, most history books cite Washington Roebling's father John Roebling and Washington Roebling as the bridge's builders; may be because of male dominance or jaundiced mentality of underestimating female's contribution. In reality, with both men out of commission, the woman of the home, the wife of Washington - Emily Warren Roebling was at the helm of affairs. The Brooklyn Bridge might not have been built had it not been for the assistance of Emily Warren Roebling, who provided the critical written link between her husband, Washington Roebling (the Chief Engineer), and engineers on-site. Under her husband's guidance, Emily had studied higher mathematics, the calculations of catenary curves, the strengths of materials, bridge specifications, and the intricacies of cable construction. She spent the next 11 years assisting Washington Roebling in the supervision of the bridge's construction. This may be the reason, why I strongly advocate the anonymous quotation that, "If man is the head of the family, woman is the neck of the family that moves the head, and on which the head rests."
By moving this finger, Washington started exchanging with his wife and 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. The Brooklyn Bridge was opened for use on May 24, 1883; The names of John Roebling, Washington Roebling, and Emily Warren Roebling are inscribed on the structure as its builders.
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 realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.
- Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence!!!
- So, Continue to Believe in Ownself…
All The Best to Beat The Best…Because…..
as the Bollywood Sensation - the King Khan - Shahrukh Khan used to say in one of his block buster "Ohm Shanti Ohm",
"Kisi Chij Ko Agar Pure Dil Se Chaho, To Ye Puri Qaynat Use Tumse Milane Me Lag Jati Hai"
So, LAGE RAHO...