Across the Bridge

As I write this blog, the mousepad at my right hand - given to me by my daughter Katy - depicts a famous woodblock print by the celebrated Japanese artist Hokusai, his iconic "Mount Fuji Seen Below a Wave at Kanagawa."

Mount Fuji was a symbol of immortality for Hokusai, a follower of Buddhism.  In addition to his well-known "36 Views of Mount Fuji," he depicted many celebrated bridges in his woodblocks, for reasons that are not quite as easy to explain.  It was an unusual fascination, and his lovely prints of bridges are beautiful to behold. 

A bridge, after all, is a symbol of an afterlife, or another life, or another shore at least.  A span to another world.  We have several of these prints scattered around our house and they please me in a way that is hard to describe.  It is an optimistic viewpoint to think that by crossing to another shore we can begin anew; we can draw to a conclusion one ambitious goal and focus on another one. 

Isn't it that way with all things?  And now that we crossed that "celebrated bridge" to Roanoke Island it is time to think about what lies on the next shore.  In the next life.