Building The Bridge

Sometimes life can get hard. For many reasons this could be — a breakup, loss of loved one, medical issue or financial difficulties — and sometimes you need to take a break. Get your head in the right place and space yourself out from the constantly flowing world that is today’s society.

“Just close your eyes, but keep your mind wide open.”

– Leslie Burke, in Bridge to Terabithia

This happens to everyone at some point and we all deal with it slightly differently. I suffer from severe depression. I, like many others, hide it well but somedays it’s too much to bear. I have a mental breakdown, a rush of suicidal thoughts and rely on my good friends around me to pull me through. When this happens, I take myself away from the world.

I go to a place where I have spent a lot of time over the years. A place where there is no reception, no internet, no people, no houses, no shops, nothing. It is about a disconnected to the world you can get. This place is my sanctuary for when I’m in a bad mental state. I have a location whereby I leave almost everyone behind and only take a selected few people to a spot whereby I can think, have nothing to distract me and get my head straight.

There’s a place along the journey to this location whereby both mentally and now physically there is a bridge. A spot where I cross from one set of thinking to another, where I go from one area of the property to another. Although it may not seem like much to someone of the outside, to me, this bridge is something that represents protection, freedom, love and hard work — all things I value very highly. Built over the space of 6 days with the help of my 3 brothers and good friends… Actually my 4 brothers and sister (they deserve it). Made with totally found resources (part of the challenge) and hacked to the right sizes with a hatchet.

Although not everyone has a physical bridge to cross when they need to get away and think, everyone needs to have a bridge to cross if the time comes to it. That could be music, family, a sport or whatever else you enjoy doing. It could be something you do everyday or something you only do when you’re not feeling 100%.

If you’re feeling suicidal, please call your local emergency services (000 in Australia) or Lifeline (13 11 14).

Originally published at lachlanteale.com on April 4, 2016.