The Bridge Builder

BY WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE

An old man going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide.
Through which was flowing a sullen tide
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

Old man, said a fellow pilgrim near,

You are wasting your strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day,
You never again will pass this way;
Youve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build this bridge at evening tide?

The builder lifted his old gray head;

Good friend, in the path I have come, he said,
There followed after me to-day
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been as naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!

This poem very much speaks towards my student development philosophy. Over the
course of the semester, I have considered my philosophy many times over, and, at present time, it
remains one that centers itself on the students growth and development. As student affairs
practitioners, we are constantly building these bridges so that students may cross the chasm
and fully grow and develop. Whether that chasm the bridge is being built over is racism, a lost
sense of confidence, having a lack of listening ears, student affairs practitioners need to continue
to build bridges over these obstacles for students.
 In my advocacy, outreach, and intervention class, I was asked on the first day why I
chose to enroll in this specific class. I reflected and realized that my transition from high school
to undergrad was not an easy one. I felt alone at times and was looking for my own niche. I
stated after being asked that question that I would like to learn the skills necessary to help those
who are struggling with a similar transition. The protagonist in The Bridge Builder is
illustrating these skills for the youth who follow.