I guess a cameraphone isn’t the best way to capture a fast walk over the harbour bridge in the early evening, but it’s the best I have available. I get a few strange looks for typing and walking, but most people are too caught up in their own walk to notice.
The walk from milson’s point to the rocks, if you keep a fast-ish pace, takes 15 minutes. Not a bad time investment – you get some exercise, and you can soak up the beauty of the city – it looks even better if you walk with your significant other along.
An amazing view is up for grabs, but few people look left or right. Most keep walking, eyes forward.
Walking across a body of water puts me in mind of one of Jesus’ miracles: going one better than Moses, who parted the red sea, Jesus just stepped out and walked across. Peter – in one of the gospel accounts – calls out to Jesus, and asks to be allowed to walk out to meet him. Peter does fine, until he takes his eyes off Jesus and looks off to one side.
Is that why people look straight ahead on the bridge? Fear?
Are they too busy? Isn’t it better to spend the time contemplating, or at least appreciating the moment, than worrying about what awaits on the other end of the bridge?
Maybe even thanking God that the bridge is there would be a better use of time. Looking out at the city – a reminder of the many material things that Sydney-siders take for granted; I think I might try praying the next time I cross the bridge.
How about you? Do you look straight ahead on bridges, or take in the scenery?
i think in this sense the harbour bridge is an excellent illustration of the difference between focussing on the end of the journey and taking joy inthe journey. i try to walk over the bridge every few months – i enjoy it and it’s something i think all sydneysiders should do, especially since the coat hanger is one of the most recognised landmarks in the world – and my crossing is never about getting to the other side. if i were in a hurry i’d get the bus or a train.
as for me, i’d be thanking God that the bridge isn’t only two lanes wide. (God bless bradfield!) there’s a much longer post in here somewhere… i’ll be stewing on this for a few days…
When I walk I like to acheive something like how far can I go in what time I have but then my mind wanders as it does often and I get caught up in the wonders God has perfomed in the natural resources around us and when I come back to earth I start the achievment thing all over. Walking you get exercise but just taking time to look at your surrounds every now and then there is more than meets the eye in everywhere you look. Well maybe not in the CBD but in Nambucca you have a challenge no mattter where you look.