Burning Bridges

I’ve been thinking a lot about this phrase this week.

I found some interesting language regarding its origin:

“To commit oneself to an irreversible course of action, without possibility of backing down. The expression comes from ancient military history, when soldiers crossing a river literally burned the bridge or boats they had used in order to cut off the possibility of retreat.”

Interesting, huh?

We, as artists, are often taught consciously or not, that burning a bridge is a bad thing. We should always be polite, not rock the boat, not burn the bridge in case we need that person, that experience, that institution in our corner.

Again, as artists, we are told to swallow, follow & do what we are told.

I don’t think so.

If we commit ourselves to a course of action that will allow us to stand for something, speak up for ourselves and others, develop a sense of authenticity and integrity in our humanness, in our artistry, in our social awareness, then we DO it.

As artists, we are action-oriented. We DO. We CREATE. We OBSERVE. We DISCOVER. We REVEAL. We EXPOSE.

If the bridge needs to be gone, never to be crossed again, then so be it.

NOT burning a bridge could be more of a liability than thinking we should be open.

If that bridge is not serving us, then why would it matter anymore?

Burning a bridge means to act in a way that destroys any chance of returning to the way things were. When you burn your bridges, there is no going back.

That doesn’t have to be a negative thing.

If we, as artists in every aspect of the industry we reside, don’t begin to take back our POWER, nothing changes. We need to be aware, alert & move with integrity. We need to recognize authority is not power and realize the differences for ourselves personally and collectively.

We can “burn a bridge” for change and still do it with a humane and focused choice.

Let’s take back that phrase and claim it in a positive way.

Let’s be and create the change so there is no chance we return to the way things were - especially when they weren’t working.

Stand for the change. Sometimes the bridge burns and you walk away and toward the next.

Sometimes the bridge burns and it gives permission to rebuild something in its place that has more strength and integrity.

Give yourself permission to stand, take stock of who you are and what you are about. Lead with that. Walk THAT walk.

Don’t ask for permission, but lead with grace and the self-permission of your integrity.

This will keep us present to make the changes and only look back to see how far we’ve come.

with fondness & fierceness,