Friday, August 3, 2007

Our Dear Twin Cities

Over the past two days many friends and family have reached out to Brian and myself in the aftermath of the 35W bridge collapse. We are so fortunate to have people immediately think of us when they hear of a "Minneapolis tragedy." Brian and I and all our friends and family (as far as we know) are safe and sound.

In all honesty Brian and I hardly ever use that bridge anymore. But when I was pregnant Brian used to travel over that bridge twice a day; once after he dropped me off at my office and once when he would pick me up in the evening. (When I was pregnant I was a big baby and hardly ever rode the bus like I usually would have.) I asked Brian last night, "When you would drive over that bridge did it ever cross your mind that there was even the slightest possibility that it could fall?" And you know what he said? He said when he was driving over that bridge most of the time he didn't even realize he was on a bridge let alone a bridge over the Mississippi River.

It made me wonder how many people on that Wednesday evening were thinking the same thing as they plundged 60 feet into the river. People on their cell phones. People enjoying their favorite song. People listening to the rush hour radio shows. People with their windows open taking in the hot summer evening. People checking to make sure they had their tickets for the Twins game. People like you and me who drive over bridges every day just on our way home, on our way to work, on our way to a baseball game, on our way through life.

All the major media outlets have been in town to cover this story but they, no doubt, will be gone come Monday morning. Bigger stories to cover. Bigger cities to cover. Long after the rest of the country forgets, thousands of Twin Citians will round the bend on those gridlocked alternate routes. They'll be calling to say they'll be late. They'll be wishing they had left just 15 minutes earlier. And then, suddenly, those beautiful twinkling lights of the Minneapolis skyline will come into view. And we will remember why we live here, why we drive here and why we love our dear Twin Cities.

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