Roseman Bridge of Madison Country 
Princes Bridge of the City of Melbourne (photo taken by the blogger orange tulip )
I got this synopsis from the movie version of the novel. The story, i gathered was written in 1992 but the author opted the setting in the 1965 era.
The path of Francesca Johnson's future seems destined when an unexpected fork in the road causes her to question everything she had come to expect from life. While her husband and children are away at the Iowa state fair in the Summer of 1965, Robert Kincaid happens upon the Johnson farm and asks Francesca for directions to Rosamunde Bridge. He explains that he is on assignment from National Geographic magazine to photograph the bridges of Madison County. She agrees to show him to the bridges and thus begins the bittersweet and all-too-brief romance of her life. Through the pain of separation from her secret love and the stark isolation she feels as the details of her life consume her, she writes down the story of this four-day love affair in a 3-volume diary. The diary is found by her children among her possessions and alongside Robert Kincaid's possessions after Francesca is dead. The message they take from the diaries is one of hope that they will do what is necessary to find happiness in their lives -- whatever is necessary. After learning that Robert Kincaid's cremated remains were scattered off Rosamunde Bridge and that their mother requested a similar disposition for her own ashes, the children must decide whether to honor their mother's final wishes or bury her alongside their father as the family had planned. Adapted from the novel by Robert Waller, this is the story of love that happens just once in a lifetime -- if you're lucky.
The 171-page hardcover novel written by Robert James Waller has been translated into 25 languages and over 12 million copies have been sold worldwide! On the New York Times Best Seller list for 3 years (and number 1 for 38 weeks), it topped Gone with the Wind in 1995 as the best-selling fiction book of all time (in hardcover, no less).(http://www.madisoncounty.com/novel.html)
I had a browse of the coffee table version of this book while waiting for my documentarian friend who is into photography and film making in her studio. As I was working with her on a documentary film, i thought that the bridges would be perfect for a movie as they look old and marvelous in a country setting. Little did i know that the novel already had a movie version. Nevertheless, it thrilled me no end.
I just came from a failed relationship when i first read this story. It made me cry instantly. Although i was grieving over a lost love, i rest in the thought that i made a choice and have to live with it no matter what. I feel sorry for Francesca for not making her choice to get out of her seemingly "unhappy situation" and did take the risk for a chance to probably become happy with her lover of four days. Probably selfless love prevailed and he honoured his commitment to his husband and children. Moralists have disliked the essence of the love story and argued that it tolerated and romanticised adultery. In fact several entries about the novel described it as "adulterous". I have my own personal values and lived with it for my own peace of mind. Yet i never judged quickly based on what i see or hear about other people
" falling in love". I simply enjoyed to" live and let live."
I still have to see the movie but i got hold of the novel and was able to read the whole story only a week ago, while lying in a beach. The sound of the waves has always been comforting and walking on the fine sands barefoot has always been relaxing. Robert and Francesca's short lived but meaningful love story has thrilled me again, but this time it made me smile, and smile again. Truly losing a beloved is extremely painful yet the gift of hope and giving love another try makes life truly worth living. I have loved and lost, loved and lost again, loved and lost once more. I sought healing, rested and contemplated , and resolved within me that humans like me are imperfect. Some but not all men may enjoy "sweet talking", love lying and enjoy playing games but there will always be few "good" men (no matter what my concept of good will be). Past losses somehow, would not stop me to keep on taking my chance to be probably- blissfully happy in the future. I have decided to never stop loving as long as my heart keeps on beating.
Reading the novel The Bridges of Madison Country reminded me of The Bridges in the City of Melbourne. Four years ago, i met someone that could have been probably my great love - if we walked many bridges more than four days and i was already unchained from my personal pains. He was a shy and unassuming new member of the choir where i belonged when we first met. He introduced himself only after i smiled at him. He was with a friend and i've got company too but we saw each other again in the tram stop, taking the same route. Since then, after rehearsals, we would walk together from the tram stop, share the tram seat and talk a little about many things, but the very remarkable was- we arrived in the city at practically the same time albeit for different purpose - he wants to live away from his parents, for change of environment and job, while i went there to study political science, practically different from my previous course in natural science.
After a few rehearsals and tram rides, he attempted to ask me out by simply asking if i have watched the movie almost everyone is talking about. He already watched it but said that he would not mind accompanying me if i want to watch it over the weekends. First date for me would usually be " for coffee" and for the more proactive guy, " a dinner" and " a coffee after". I had hesitations then but when he told me he will be watching with his friends who has not seen the movie yet. Realising how good looking and nice he was, and thinking that it is a friendly group date i said "yes- if i finish working on my essay due for next week." I told my house mate about this invite and she was thrilled. The next day, he rang " just to say hi", and the next day hi rang to say " he missed me". I was hesitant but my housemate was excited. Still wounded from a broken heart, what if he finds me boring? My friend, who saw me through it all- from crying moments day after day upon arrival in the city, to joining me in searching and counting how many cute guys are in the campus and in the city, giggled and talked about our crushes. "Going out again" is not part of my plan and my Friday nights out are with my school friends. That Friday night he has to ring me again, to find out if i can make it that Saturday. I said yes, but only in the afternoon because i have to do library work. He patiently rearranged his and his friend's schedule so i can join them. We met up in one of my favourite coffee shop( he and his friends were already there) and after finishing my hot chocolate we crossed a bridge to " The Crown" where the hotel, casino, dining and movie houses are. We watched " Passion of the Christ" and he made me sit with one of the girls. The movie with Mel Gibson as the main character is not a typical "date" movie but i enjoyed the company of new friends. After dinner, the group headed for coffee but i wanted something different, as i always do on a winter night. As my favourite ice cream flavour is served quite farther away from the coffee shop, i went ahead to get my own ice cream. A few minutes after, he rang me to find out if i was lost or ran away. Of course i did not, and i really had fun that night. My very excited housemate was still up when i arrived half an hour before midnight and asked some details of my "first date". She then remarked that he is "sweet " while i was cynical.
We went out the next Saturday afternoon again- alone this time. He told me he researched about my country's culture and found out that girls do not go out unaccompanied the first time. I know i can handle him pretty well and did not attempt to bring any companion- but he took the effort to do so. I admired him for that. We walked towards another bridge again, stopped for coffee and i have to leave early to attend a party organised by my friends. He is a very private person so i did not attempt to invite him to my friend's party. I arrived and was continously teased all throughout the party - because i am going out again and i realised i have stopped crying over my lost love. The third Saturday we walked to another bridge, and occasionally stops from time to time to rest and always he takes time to look at me intently and say that im "gorgeous." Men are generally sweet talkers i would always reply and he would try to convince me that he is not. We watched sunset together and he told me how much he liked me the first time he saw me smile. I told him that my smile are always captivating, but deep within me i realised that the warmth of his eyes while looking intently at my face can make me happy. And i remember my friend that yes, probably i can fall in love and be happy again. I kept on smiling and was thrilled over dinner. We talked about a lot of things and i answered his questions candidly. We always hug each other goodbye during rehearsals and our previous dates but this time he gave me a peck on the cheek after the hug and i smiled back- probably the sweetest smile ever, for him. It was the few last weeks of winter and probably if things would work out fine- we can be a "couple" when "spring" comes. I can bloom with the flowers and he can sing with the birds and we will be happy.
We met up for coffee the next Saturday, which unexpectedly was destined to be the last. We walked towards that bridge where we watched sunset together and he told me that he wants us to be " serious". He wanted me to be his girlfriend as he has already fallen in love with me. I was not surprised if he liked me but i was not ready for his "declaration of love" and for another "committment". I was thrilled- part of me wants to "jump to another relationship" as my friends are already excited to meet him. I arrived in this city with a wounded heart, and my coping was practically crying almost everyday. It could be a start of something beautiful, something special and i can hope to be happy again. But deep within i know that i was not totally over my past and it would be unfair for a very kind guy like him to be used " to cure" my broken heart. It has become my personal policy to grieve my losses, re-assess myself and move on once i know that i am totally healed so as not to jeopardise my new relationship with the emotional imbalance brought by my tragic experiences. In the end, i told him i am not yet ready " to be serious"- although i enjoy his company immensely. He could not understand why i was still in love with my former boyfriend even when we're no longer "together". I failed to ask him to wait until Spring as i am already on my way to healing and i like him too.
That was the last day i saw him. He said goodbye over the phone and went back to the city where his family resides the next Saturday. Initially i thought it was just for a visit but he did not come back. I did not cry but i felt bad because i know that i have hurt him terribly. I tried to go out with other guys after him but after the second date i know i have to say no on the third. This special guy who brought me to various bridges in Melbourne could probably be my great love- had i articulated that i liked him too, and asked for more time for me to sort my feelings out. I tried to communicate with him but he changed his mobile phone number, even his friends in the city that i met, was not aware how he was going- and asked me why he went back to Sydney. A year after, i went back to the same bridge where we sat sunset together and bid my goodbye to Princes Bridge of Melbourne, shed a tear over the sad memory of our last Saturday together and smiled about the happy memories while watching the sunset. I sent an e-mail thanking him for those four Saturdays that has made my stay in Melbourne a lot more memourable. I resolved to moved on after losing a love- that never was.
Just like the novel Bridges of Madison, my experience was parallel in some ways- i fell in love while visiting the bridges albeit realising it belatedly and it happened over spending quality time with him in four days. Unlike Francesca who was legally bounded thus cannot make up her mind to make a fulfillment with a newfound love, i was non committal because i allowed and nurtured strong feelings despite a failed relationship- which bounded me emotionally. Our dates were not as exciting and romantic as that of Francesca and Richard's (although when he heard that i can cook pasta, he said that he looks forward to taste my cooking of carbonara) but we had fun- and we were happy.
This is the reason why, upon reading the novel, Bridges of Madison Country, i dont cry anymore but smile and remember the City of Melbourne. Some things are not meant to last but sometimes chance although short encounters can change someone's life- if one takes the courage to take risks. My own experience has taught me not to live in the past and find fulfillment in the present. Moreover, it really showed me that true to its use, bridges connects roads-either in the country or in the city. I also realised that just like its intended use as an infrastructure, a bridge connects people's lives- in any way possible. And the memories of these bridges where i had been, makes me happy- even for a moment.
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