Wednesday, January 26, 2011

favorite place.

This post is written about a bridge in Trussville by Sidnie of Green Enough for Me. Sidnie is a native Alabamian who is currently living in Germany with her military husband and two boys, Austin and Cade. Her husband will be deploying to Afghanistan soon. Her blog is an amazing, and often heart-wrenching peek inside the lives of those serving our country overseas. You can also follow Sidnie on Twitter at greenenough4me.

In my hometown, there's this green bridge that crosses over this river. It's not much. Not much at all. But this bridge, the kissing bridge, could quite honestly be my favorite place on earth.
I'm sure if it could talk, it'd tell the most vibrant stories.


David and I, newlyweds. David, living in Germany, home on leave. A month away from Austin's birth. January of 2007.


For as long as I can remember, it's been there. And long before that, it was somewhere else. It's endured a several mile move, involving trucks and cranes. I can just imagine the people it took to get it settled into its new home. I remember taking pictures with my cousins on this bridge when we were little, all snaggle toothed but still grinning. I wish I had those pictures to share, but they're more than likely tucked in an old suitcase at the foot of the bed in the guest room at my parent's house. I remember many cross country practices running across this bridge, hearing the wood pound beneath our feet. Always confident that the sturdy, old bridge would hold our weight.

Austin and Sidnie, 4 months pregnant with Cade. Daddy is in Iraq. June of 2008.
It's just off the main highway that runs through town. There's a few concrete picnic tables and a grassy area. But nothing more. Somedays, you can find some boys fishing for minnows. Or some barefoot children wading through the ankle deep water. You could tell how bad a storm was by how much of the bridge was covered with muddy red water. The town flooded once, years ago, and the bridge was covered for what seemed like forever. When the water receded, the bridge was still there. Covered with debris, but still there.

David, Sidnie, Austin and Cade. All of us on our last day home on leave after David's deployment. July 5, 2009.

As our family changes, so does the bridge. It's older. And parts have been replaced. It's needed paint over the years and probably needs some work that remains unseen. It's been rained on. And ran across. It stands firm across the river. It holds up to the footprints and the weather. It may creak, here and there, but it never sways. It's been through hell and back. But its always there.

It's strong. And beautiful. And confident.

It's always there.

"The ties that binds us are sometimes impossible to explain. They connect us even after it seems like the ties should be broken. Some bonds defy distance and time and logic; Because some ties are simply... meant to be."
-Meredith Grey, Grey's Anatomy

Where is your favorite place in Alabama?

8 comments:

MamaHen said...

Oh, I love this post! How beautiful!

Jill said...

Great post - I live in Trussville and know this bridge well!

Anonymous said...

Sending you some love! The bridge is waiting for you. Love you with all our heart! Momma and Michael

Anonymous said...

Well you did it again, you got the tears flowin! Bubba was soo little in these photos! Miss you to the moon and back
xoxox
LeNee'

Love said...

oh, the tears! beautiful. you, your family, all of your service. thank you.

i love this.

The Regal Pup said...

Great post - loved it! Makes me want to visit this bridge!

JessieLeigh said...

Oh, Sidnie, you make me want to drag my New England right down to that Alabama bridge. Your photos are just stunning and bring it to life... love the way this bridge weaves its way through the story of your life.

Nanci S. said...

This is such a meaning, beautifully written post.
I have walked over that bridge many times and your description is perfect in so many ways.

So thank you for your post and THANK YOU for you and your husband's service and commitment to protecting our American freedom. Godspeed to all of our military.

If you haven't linked up and introduced yourself yet, be sure to go here to do so!