Once upon a time there were two islands. One was named Hideaway, and the other was Serenity. The only way to access each of them was to cross a bridge, or take a ferry. But over time the trusses were compromised, and the tensile strength of the girders was ebbing. The inhabitants of both islands had a meeting. 

 

"We need to address it head on," said a young resident of Hideaway. "We should rip down the bridge entirely and rebuild it with completely new materials. It will be inconvenient to have to go across by boat, but that is what we must do." 

 

The people nodded in agreement. Then a woman from Serenity spoke. She had lived on the island her entire life, since before the original bridge was built. She understood the ramifications of tearing it down. 

 

"I suggest that we do it gradually. We can replace each piece of the structure and mindfully reinforce weak points with braces. Then we will still be able to cross the bridge."

 

The people discussed it a long time. In the end, the residents of Hideaway went with the plan to destroy before rebuilding. The inhabitants of Serenity trusted the elderly woman and followed her sagacity. 

 

The young men of Hideaway showed up for the demolition. The chance to fling sledgehammers appealed to their thirst for power. In less than a day the old bridge was dismantled, and the path was clear for a brand new one. Materials arrived on a large truck, and the hired crew stood waist deep in the water as they began the long process of planting support pillars in the muddy bay floor. People who needed to travel had to wait for the ferry which only crossed twice a day. Their routines were tethered to the schedule, which it turns out was less than reliable. 

 

One time a child broke her leg on the island, and had to wait for several hours before she could be taken to the hospital on the mainland. Grandparents who had traveled from far away, and did not understand about the bridge had to wait on the shore for most of the day before they could hug their grandchildren. One family decided it was too disruptive, and moved to the mainland to stay with friends until it was over. In the end they never moved back. There was an urgency to the task, which added to the stress of island life, which was not their hope in making their homes there. 

 

 

The people of Serenity attended classes about refurbishing, so they could do the majority of the job themselves. Many of the residents participated, because even children could carry bricks. As part of their routine folks developed the habit of getting materials from the construction site on the mainland, bringing it across when they were traveling anyway, and fitting it into place. Some even took to signing their names on lumber. Girls planted flower boxes along the railings. They felt ownership for the project. 

 

The bridge to Serenity took longer, but because there was less urgency the people were not anxious about it. Recreating their thoroughfare became ordinary. Some spoke wistfully of the process when it was over. They decided to continue their efforts by constructing a playground on the island. They had all learned a great deal about working together, and enjoyed it. Children acquired skills easily, watching their parents and eagerly taking part. 

 

The end.