a little at a time

I’ve been watching this $26 million dollar project for months… years really. It’s amazing to me how these enormous bridges and flyovers can be built by humans.  The engineering is beyond my comprehension and I stand (or sit in my car) in awe as I see the progression … a little bit at a time.

But it’s coming along… and when it’s finished it will add four new ramps connecting a busy Ben White Boulevard to Interstate 35 cutting out a lot of traffic in growing Austin.  Just a huge project.

As I drove through this construction area, almost daily for a while, I saw material weighing many tons.  How it gets moved into various places so perfectly is quite a task. Each time I look there is more roadway stretching way over my head.  Hard to believe cars and trucks will drive way up there to avoid stop–and-go traffic below.  It boggles my mind and amazes me what can be done in time… when we are consistent…. when we move forward… a little bit at a time…  day after day after day getting closer to the goal.

If these workers stopped, just gave up, because they saw the enormity of the work before them… if they got discouraged and impatient at the slow progress …  we’d never see the completed work or benefit from the accomplishment. 

I found myself thinking about this while stopped at a red light recently with all the activity going on around me.  It gave me insight and encouragement for my own life.  I couldn’t help but see the comparison. Sometimes progress in our lives seems painstakingly slow. 

But the important thing is to keep  moving forward. Never give up. Someday you’ll get there. 

Losing that weight, getting in shape, finishing that education, finishing that project or book, saving money for that desired thing… house, car… whatever it is… working toward your goal.  The only way to ensure not getting there is if we quit.  If we quit trying.

I don’t want aspects of my life to look like these bridges forever, only half finished.  I know there are things I may be working on until I die, but I WILL keep moving forward.  Only then can I have the hope of getting there!  I want to remember that every day. 

Shortsighted means unable to see distant objects clearly.  Lacking foresight or scope.  I really need to be more goal oriented and not get impatient with the day to day.  I could really benefit from concentrating on the big picture more and not getting so lost in the details.

These flyovers are supposed to be finished by September.  Right now they are ahead of schedule.  I doubt I’ll ever be able to pass by or ride over these bridges without thinking how great things can be accomplished by moving forward a little bit at a time.