Determination

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30 Mar 2007 17:39:29 IST
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30 Mar 2007 17:39:29 IST
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Determination
Engineering Entrance , JEE Main , JEE Advanced , Motivational

                               DETERMINATION

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.
Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.
"We told them so."
"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."
"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."
Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.
He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.
It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.
For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.
Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.
Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.
Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence.

Comments (12)


Blazing goIITian

Joined: 7 Feb 2007 10:29:28 IST
Posts: 544
30 Mar 2007 17:48:33 IST
0 people liked this

di..u r simply superb....
wish i wud give this moooore salutes :)

Blazing goIITian

Joined: 25 Feb 2007 01:17:42 IST
Posts: 1010
30 Mar 2007 18:02:22 IST
0 people liked this

superb........

Hot goIITian

Joined: 24 Nov 2006 06:29:39 IST
Posts: 133
30 Mar 2007 19:05:17 IST
0 people liked this

but there are very few people these days who try to fulfil their ambitions
The article is so inspiring just like Sir Abdul Kalam's speech

Scorching goIITian

Joined: 2 Mar 2007 17:23:44 IST
Posts: 273
30 Mar 2007 19:21:48 IST
0 people liked this

thats really veryyyyyyyyyyyy inspiring

Blazing goIITian

Joined: 5 Mar 2007 11:34:35 IST
Posts: 440
30 Mar 2007 19:38:47 IST
0 people liked this

nice 1

Scorching goIITian

Joined: 8 Mar 2007 09:49:52 IST
Posts: 223
30 Mar 2007 19:56:39 IST
0 people liked this

great
its really very nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blazing goIITian

Joined: 16 Mar 2007 07:49:09 IST
Posts: 366
30 Mar 2007 20:13:45 IST
0 people liked this

gr8..nice

Blazing goIITian

Joined: 19 Feb 2007 18:13:15 IST
Posts: 742
30 Mar 2007 22:49:30 IST
0 people liked this

mindblowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
superb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hot goIITian

Joined: 5 Apr 2008 21:45:39 IST
Posts: 168
18 Jun 2008 14:02:52 IST
0 people liked this

no words..!

Blazing goIITian

Joined: 17 May 2008 12:13:51 IST
Posts: 693
19 Jun 2008 10:01:12 IST
0 people liked this

nice....!!!

Cool goIITian

Joined: 26 Nov 2008 18:47:52 IST
Posts: 86
23 Dec 2008 10:13:32 IST
0 people liked this

simply awesome

Blazing goIITian

Joined: 29 Sep 2008 14:45:06 IST
Posts: 628
24 Dec 2008 16:45:38 IST
0 people liked this

Awesome.



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