some bridges I wish I never built some I wish I built stronger using materials so
wish I built stronger using materials so
wish I built stronger using materials so much more durable so much more resistant
much more durable so much more resistant
much more durable so much more resistant to the heavy loads that life imposes on
to the heavy loads that life imposes on
to the heavy loads that life imposes on our relationships with others if I could
our relationships with others if I could
our relationships with others if I could go back I would rebuild some of these
go back I would rebuild some of these
go back I would rebuild some of these fragile bridges coating them layer upon
fragile bridges coating them layer upon
fragile bridges coating them layer upon layer again and again with the strength
layer again and again with the strength
layer again and again with the strength and durability of a thousand bridges
and durability of a thousand bridges
and durability of a thousand bridges combined of course if you’re building a
combined of course if you’re building a
combined of course if you’re building a bridge that you only want or need to
bridge that you only want or need to
bridge that you only want or need to come across one then why bother building
come across one then why bother building
come across one then why bother building it to last
it to last
it to last why put in all the effort of building
why put in all the effort of building
why put in all the effort of building that bridge why invest time that most
that bridge why invest time that most
that bridge why invest time that most precious resource
precious resource
precious resource I’ve spent now half a term at boarding
I’ve spent now half a term at boarding
I’ve spent now half a term at boarding school don’t get me wrong school is
school don’t get me wrong school is
school don’t get me wrong school is amazing
amazing
amazing and I love my friends here I’ve met so
and I love my friends here I’ve met so
and I love my friends here I’ve met so many different people from a ba scope of
many different people from a ba scope of
many different people from a ba scope of colleges and beliefs what I don’t love
colleges and beliefs what I don’t love
colleges and beliefs what I don’t love is still having to wake up sometimes
is still having to wake up sometimes
is still having to wake up sometimes with Charing Cross the eyes and a heavy
with Charing Cross the eyes and a heavy
with Charing Cross the eyes and a heavy heart
heart
heart from the realization that I’m alone
from the realization that I’m alone
from the realization that I’m alone about 11,000 kilometres away from the
about 11,000 kilometres away from the
about 11,000 kilometres away from the people I love the most my parents and my
people I love the most my parents and my
people I love the most my parents and my family it pains me to have that thoughts
family it pains me to have that thoughts
family it pains me to have that thoughts like if I wasn’t this emotionally close
like if I wasn’t this emotionally close
like if I wasn’t this emotionally close to them maybe just maybe it wouldn’t
to them maybe just maybe it wouldn’t
to them maybe just maybe it wouldn’t hurt this much to be separated from them
hurt this much to be separated from them
hurt this much to be separated from them why are we sometimes afraid of building
why are we sometimes afraid of building
why are we sometimes afraid of building bridges we want closeness it were afraid
bridges we want closeness it were afraid
bridges we want closeness it were afraid of getting too close because then we’re
of getting too close because then we’re
of getting too close because then we’re willingly putting ourselves at the mercy
willingly putting ourselves at the mercy
willingly putting ourselves at the mercy of the person on the other end of the
of the person on the other end of the
of the person on the other end of the bridge we make ourselves vulnerable we
bridge we make ourselves vulnerable we
bridge we make ourselves vulnerable we get so close and so dependent on someone
get so close and so dependent on someone
get so close and so dependent on someone or something or even a memory that we
or something or even a memory that we
or something or even a memory that we rely on them for feelings of safety and
rely on them for feelings of safety and
rely on them for feelings of safety and of happiness and then when we lose that
of happiness and then when we lose that
of happiness and then when we lose that personal thing it’s as if we’ve lost
personal thing it’s as if we’ve lost
personal thing it’s as if we’ve lost everything we get still attached to
everything we get still attached to
everything we get still attached to these things there all of our emotions
these things there all of our emotions
these things there all of our emotions are determined by this attachment anger
are determined by this attachment anger
are determined by this attachment anger from the attachment of wanting to be
from the attachment of wanting to be
from the attachment of wanting to be right
right
right see from the attachment we have with
see from the attachment we have with
see from the attachment we have with others we fear losing them as if we’ve
others we fear losing them as if we’ve
others we fear losing them as if we’ve claimed them to be ours to lose
claimed them to be ours to lose
claimed them to be ours to lose attachments to expectations leading to
attachments to expectations leading to
attachments to expectations leading to disappointment and agony attachments to
disappointment and agony attachments to
disappointment and agony attachments to materials and even to ourselves this is
materials and even to ourselves this is
materials and even to ourselves this is selfish
selfish
selfish we crave closeness we desire being
we crave closeness we desire being
we crave closeness we desire being attached to things the emotional part of
attached to things the emotional part of
attached to things the emotional part of me wants to hold on to this idea and
me wants to hold on to this idea and
me wants to hold on to this idea and wallow without shame the rational part
wallow without shame the rational part
wallow without shame the rational part of me constantly slaps this annoying
of me constantly slaps this annoying
of me constantly slaps this annoying emotional part shut why am I feeling
emotional part shut why am I feeling
emotional part shut why am I feeling this way
this way
this way what am i afraid of that the bridge we
what am i afraid of that the bridge we
what am i afraid of that the bridge we share will be burned that the love they
share will be burned that the love they
share will be burned that the love they have for me will diminish what does this
have for me will diminish what does this
have for me will diminish what does this do to us just like any other fear it
do to us just like any other fear it
do to us just like any other fear it holds us back it stops us or makes us
holds us back it stops us or makes us
holds us back it stops us or makes us think twice when building bridges with
think twice when building bridges with
think twice when building bridges with others it creates a high wall between us
others it creates a high wall between us
others it creates a high wall between us and others the better to protect us from
and others the better to protect us from
and others the better to protect us from getting hurt so what do we do it doesn’t
getting hurt so what do we do it doesn’t
getting hurt so what do we do it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t feel it shouldn’t mean
mean we shouldn’t feel it shouldn’t mean
mean we shouldn’t feel it shouldn’t mean not carrying or getting close to people
not carrying or getting close to people
not carrying or getting close to people being vulnerable has its risks but it
being vulnerable has its risks but it
being vulnerable has its risks but it also has its rewards it just means we
also has its rewards it just means we
also has its rewards it just means we have to learn to overcome our reticence
have to learn to overcome our reticence
have to learn to overcome our reticence and inhibitions we don’t let what we
and inhibitions we don’t let what we
and inhibitions we don’t let what we feel control what we do and how we act
feel control what we do and how we act
feel control what we do and how we act we don’t let expectations ticket our
we don’t let expectations ticket our
we don’t let expectations ticket our emotions we allow ourselves to feel
emotions we allow ourselves to feel
emotions we allow ourselves to feel genuine contentment and at peace with
genuine contentment and at peace with
genuine contentment and at peace with things with people with memories without
things with people with memories without
things with people with memories without expecting them to be ours and without
expecting them to be ours and without
expecting them to be ours and without expecting them to last forever we live
expecting them to last forever we live
expecting them to last forever we live in the present without worrying about
in the present without worrying about
in the present without worrying about the past or the future we don’t stop
the past or the future we don’t stop
the past or the future we don’t stop building bridges but build even more and
building bridges but build even more and
building bridges but build even more and even stronger once we have some control
even stronger once we have some control
even stronger once we have some control over how we feel how we react to letting
over how we feel how we react to letting
over how we feel how we react to letting go and the consequences of building
go and the consequences of building
go and the consequences of building bridges we learn to accept that some
bridges we learn to accept that some
bridges we learn to accept that some bridges will burn while some may last an
bridges will burn while some may last an
bridges will burn while some may last an eternity will feel the freedom to build
eternity will feel the freedom to build
eternity will feel the freedom to build as many bridges us we want because now
as many bridges us we want because now
as many bridges us we want because now we’re in charge of our emotion
we’re in charge of our emotion
we’re in charge of our emotion we’re able to experience those different
we’re able to experience those different
we’re able to experience those different ridges with a holding experiences so
ridges with a holding experiences so
ridges with a holding experiences so tightly to our chests letting them
tightly to our chests letting them
tightly to our chests letting them overwhelm us when the bridge burns
overwhelm us when the bridge burns
overwhelm us when the bridge burns walking across many bridges I’ve been
walking across many bridges I’ve been
walking across many bridges I’ve been building for the past 16 years I would
building for the past 16 years I would
building for the past 16 years I would be lying if I said I didn’t and it
be lying if I said I didn’t and it
be lying if I said I didn’t and it doesn’t hurt here at boarding school
doesn’t hurt here at boarding school
doesn’t hurt here at boarding school when I seen on borders getting picked up
when I seen on borders getting picked up
when I seen on borders getting picked up at the end of each day by their parents
at the end of each day by their parents
at the end of each day by their parents it brings me back well my mother used to
it brings me back well my mother used to
it brings me back well my mother used to drive to the front gates of school my
drive to the front gates of school my
drive to the front gates of school my brother and I would be looking forward
brother and I would be looking forward
brother and I would be looking forward to the black lunch boxes of food she
to the black lunch boxes of food she
to the black lunch boxes of food she carefully prepared and packed with love
carefully prepared and packed with love
carefully prepared and packed with love I think what I miss most is being able
I think what I miss most is being able
I think what I miss most is being able to go back home at the end of each day
to go back home at the end of each day
to go back home at the end of each day into the comfort and unconditional love
into the comfort and unconditional love
into the comfort and unconditional love our family I’ve learned I’m still
our family I’ve learned I’m still
our family I’ve learned I’m still learning to cope with this nagging
learning to cope with this nagging
learning to cope with this nagging feeling of missing home it’s selfish of
feeling of missing home it’s selfish of
feeling of missing home it’s selfish of me to keep dwelling on it but I’m sure
me to keep dwelling on it but I’m sure
me to keep dwelling on it but I’m sure it isn’t easy for my loved ones to be
it isn’t easy for my loved ones to be
it isn’t easy for my loved ones to be apart from me too I hope it isn’t it
apart from me too I hope it isn’t it
apart from me too I hope it isn’t it would hurt them more if they knew our
would hurt them more if they knew our
would hurt them more if they knew our sad and suffering here as Deb’s have to
sad and suffering here as Deb’s have to
sad and suffering here as Deb’s have to sacrifice so much and have invested so
sacrifice so much and have invested so
sacrifice so much and have invested so much to provide me with a
much to provide me with a
much to provide me with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to further my education here so what I’ve
further my education here so what I’ve
further my education here so what I’ve decided to do and how I cope is by
decided to do and how I cope is by
decided to do and how I cope is by recording memories of what I’m
recording memories of what I’m
recording memories of what I’m experiencing here as sketches and then
experiencing here as sketches and then
experiencing here as sketches and then when I go back during Christmas I’ll
when I go back during Christmas I’ll
when I go back during Christmas I’ll share these memories with them so that
share these memories with them so that
share these memories with them so that they feel like they’re here with me too
they feel like they’re here with me too
they feel like they’re here with me too I’ll show you a few sketches I’ve done
I’ll show you a few sketches I’ve done
I’ll show you a few sketches I’ve done since school started three months ago
being here in Florence with you giving
being here in Florence with you giving this talk is such a wonderful
this talk is such a wonderful
this talk is such a wonderful opportunity here I am building a bridge
opportunity here I am building a bridge
opportunity here I am building a bridge for myself for my future and this
for myself for my future and this
for myself for my future and this doesn’t mean that I’m burning the many
doesn’t mean that I’m burning the many
doesn’t mean that I’m burning the many bridges I have with my loved ones back
bridges I have with my loved ones back
bridges I have with my loved ones back home because building new bridges
home because building new bridges
home because building new bridges doesn’t mean I’m burning old ones it
doesn’t mean I’m burning old ones it
doesn’t mean I’m burning old ones it just means I have different bridges now
just means I have different bridges now
just means I have different bridges now some are many bridges of the same
some are many bridges of the same
some are many bridges of the same importance but I don’t have to worry
importance but I don’t have to worry
importance but I don’t have to worry about just choosing one I’ve come to
about just choosing one I’ve come to
about just choosing one I’ve come to realize that those bridges built with my
realize that those bridges built with my
realize that those bridges built with my loved ones this stronger than words can
loved ones this stronger than words can
loved ones this stronger than words can describe a night a distance nor time
describe a night a distance nor time
describe a night a distance nor time will be able to sunder them I know that
will be able to sunder them I know that
will be able to sunder them I know that there was bridges are here to stay
there was bridges are here to stay
there was bridges are here to stay I know that no matter where life takes
I know that no matter where life takes
I know that no matter where life takes me there will always be a bridge feeding
me there will always be a bridge feeding
me there will always be a bridge feeding me back home to my family I don’t have
me back home to my family I don’t have
me back home to my family I don’t have to walk each and every one of them every
to walk each and every one of them every
to walk each and every one of them every day to know that they’re always there
day to know that they’re always there
day to know that they’re always there always here for me
always here for me
always here for me like so many bridges we’ve built with so
like so many bridges we’ve built with so
like so many bridges we’ve built with so many different people you don’t have to
many different people you don’t have to
many different people you don’t have to walk each and every one of them every
walk each and every one of them every
walk each and every one of them every single day to know that they were there
single day to know that they were there
single day to know that they were there you just have to have more faith in them
you just have to have more faith in them
you just have to have more faith in them because as you know you are the one who
because as you know you are the one who
because as you know you are the one who invested such care and love to build
invested such care and love to build
invested such care and love to build those bridges with them thank you
”
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