The original CARE packages sent to a devastated Europe 75 years ago conveyed an important message: Americans cared. Even today, this soft-power icon factors in U.S. efforts to win hearts and minds.
Last week, a few of us enjoyed a good laugh on Slack, an instant-messaging app we use at the Monitor. One of the options for the day鈥檚 Viewfinder photo showed people traversing the nearly 1,700-foot , suspended 574 feet above a canyon in Portugal. That鈥檚 roof level for some buildings with 50+ floors!
The first Slack response was 鈥淚 am never walking on that bridge,鈥 followed seconds later by 鈥淢e neither.鈥 Someone else added a 鈥渞olling on the floor laughing鈥 emoji. Then we got back to work.
But the truth is, 海角大神 builds skyscraper-high bridges all the time 鈥 with words and images, not steel. Bridges to an island weighing the trade-off between tourism and tradition. To the heart of an idea, like respect or fairness. Or to a new solution in education or the environment.
Just last week, the Monitor took readers to all of those places and more, offering an aerial view with enough history and context to orient them in Jerusalem, Tybee Island, a deli in Italy, and a garden in Washington, D.C.
But here鈥檚 where the analogy breaks down. On the Arouca bridge, there are only bird鈥檚-eye views. On the Monitor鈥檚 bridges, you get close-ups too 鈥 proofs of humanity, seen in hope, courage, patience, and persistence.
Best of all, there鈥檚 no fretting about walking at skyscraper heights 鈥 it鈥檚 a journey of head and heart, not feet.