🌉 Don’t Cross the Bridge till You Come to It: Navigating Proverbial Waters 🌊
Definition
“Don’t cross the bridge till you come to it” advises against worrying about problems before they actually present themselves. It suggests patience and pragmatic decision-making.
Synonyms
- Don’t borrow trouble.
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
- One step at a time.
Antonyms
- Jump the gun.
- Put the cart before the horse.
- Cry wolf.
Flavorful Quotes
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in The Golden Legend (1851):
“Don’t cross the bridge till you come to it, is a proverb old and of excellent wit.”
Noël Coward in Private Lives (1930):
“I don’t believe in crying over my bridge before I’ve eaten it.”
Literary References
- Book: The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens, which often accentuates the virtue of patience.
- Book: Persuasion by Jane Austen, where the protagonist often refrains from making premature judgments.
- Song: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel, offering solace and advice to wait through hard times.
Similar Proverbs and Idioms
- “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Simplified and widely used modern version.
- “Let’s not count our chickens before they hatch.” Advises against counting on uncertain events.
- “Don’t meet trouble halfway.” Encourages an optimistic approach to upcoming challenges.
Humorous Illustration
Imagine someone building a bridge they’ll never cross, like designing storm gear for a sunny day. It’s like eating a cheese platter but stressing about the calories before even smelling the brie.
Movies
- Movie: Cast Away (2000), featuring Tom Hanks, teaches lessons of patience and dealing with trouble only when it appears.
- Movie: Life of Pi (2012), emphasizes resilience and handling challenges as they come without preemptive worry.
Remember, dear reader, wisdom doesn’t always rush ahead; sometimes, it takes a step back and waits. In the words of Longfellow’s wit, let us not cross bridges until we indeed arrive at them.
Yours in the many twists and turns of language, Verbiage Von Wisdom
