Home

THE BRIDGE BUILDER

An old man, traveling a lone highway,

Came last at the close of day,

To a chasm, vast and deep and wide,

Through which was flowing a swollen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim-

The rushing stream held no fears for him;

But he stopped, once safe on the other side,

And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow traveler near,

"You are wasting your time in building here.

Your journey will end with the close of day;

And you never again must pass this way.

You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide,

Why build you this bridge at eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head.

"My friend, in the path I have come," he said,

"There follows after me today

A youth who steps must pass this way.

This chasm that has been as naught to me

May yet to him a pitfall be.

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

-------

Thank you to all who give their time, talent and treasure to help build bridges for our youth.

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people

to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes

by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.