I'm taking the next two weeks off from the MIBE Message.  This weeks guest post comes from our Social Capitol sales team member, Yvonne Devries.  I was inspired when she shared this story with me and I'm grateful she was willing to craft it into a "MIBE Message".  It also happens to be her Birthday today! Another reason I'm excited to highlight her in this post.  -Anthony   

(Re)Building Bridges

Back in October, Anthony hosted our monthly leadership meeting highlighting Bridges. Anthony separated us into small groups and provided us with toothpicks and marshmallows. We were instructed to build a bridge that would hold the weight of as many Reese’s candies as possible to determine a winner. If you know our team, you know that we don’t just love a friendly competition, we thrive on it. One by one, we went around the room and tested our construction. Some teams earned what we like to call a participation trophy, while others gave us all a run for our money. Throughout this exercise, we witnessed teamwork, failed trials, excitement, and even frustration. However, in the end we all connected our “bridges” in one way or another.

In 1989, San Francisco Giants were playing the Oakland A’s in the iconic Battle of the Bay World Series. The buzz around the Bay Area was exciting. Being a BIG San Francisco Giants family, my parents were hosting a party to watch game three of the World Series. A few hours before the game started, my mother left the house for the grocery store to pick up charcuterie and other game time snacks. Just after my mom left, the Loma Prieta earthquake hit coming in at 6.9 on the Richter scale. I was seven years old clinging to my father’s leg under a doorway watching the water from our pool send giant waves to the second story of our house. Once the shaking stopped, we panicked about my mom. Moments later, she returned home unharmed saying she thought she had four flat tires.

The news was heart wrenching as we witnessed images of the Bay Bridge emerge. The Bay Bridge is a double decker bridge that connects the city of San Francisco to the city of Oakland. A 50-foot section of the second level had collapsed onto the bottom level trapping people in their cars causing serious injuries and even death. What I find interesting in this horrific situation, is that the demise of this bridge that had now disconnected the two cities following the earthquake, seemingly brought them back together. Suddenly, the competitive banter and jabs at the opposing city became words of encouragement and hope. The World Series was postponed allowing the cities to focus on healing the city and community.

When the World Series resumed, sadly the Giants were swept by the A’s. The victory however, seemed different this time around. While still celebratory, the A’s lifted the Giants with them as the two cities healed and overcame tragedy together.

The Bay Bridge was eventually rebuilt and opened in 2013. When I drive over the bridge, I am reminded of the trauma and the tragedy, but I focus on the connection this broken bridge brought to our community and the two battling cities. I think about the hope and the path forward that the new bridge promised.

When did your last “bridge” break and how did you rebuild it? Who was in your community that picked you up and helped to you rebuild? Where is your current bridge leading you?