The bridge

 There was once a fisherman named Mateo who lived along the rugged coast of Samaná in the Dominican Republic. He knew the sea like the lines on his own hands, when to cast his nets, when to seek shelter, and when the tides would turn. But there was one thing he could never bring himself to do: cross the Puente de Samaná, the long bridge that stretched over the churning waters below.

The bridge was sturdy, built to withstand storms and time, but Mateo hesitated every time he approached it. The waves crashed violently against the pillars, the wind howled through the steel, and the distance made his stomach tighten. What if it collapses? What if I fall? He preferred the longer, slower route inland, even though it cost him opportunities. His catch would often spoil before he reached the market, and the other fishermen, who crossed the bridge without fear, always sold theirs fresh at the best prices

.

One evening, an old boatman named Rafael noticed Mateo’s hesitation. "You fear the bridge," he said, not as a question but as a fact.

Mateo nodded. "It’s dangerous. The sea is unpredictable."

Rafael chuckled. "The sea is the same beneath the bridge as it is beneath your boat. The only difference is the path you choose to take."

Mateo frowned. "But what if—"

"What if it holds?" Rafael interrupted. "What if it carries you to the other side faster than you ever imagined? You trust the sea when you fish. Why not trust the bridge that was made to carry you?"

The next morning, Mateo took a deep breath and stepped onto the bridge. His hands trembled at first, but with each step, his fear lessened. The waves still crashed, the wind still roared but the bridge held firm. By the time he reached the other side, his heart was light. His fish sold fresh that day, and for the first time, he returned home with a full purse and time to spare.

Like Mateo, so many of us stand at the edge of our own Puente de Samaná—the bridge between scarcity and abundance. We cling to the familiar, even when it limits us, because the unknown seems treacherous. But abundance, like that bridge, was designed to carry us. The waves of doubt may rage beneath us, but the choice to step forward is ours alone.