Let’s talk about the 6th Street Bridge for a moment – you mind?

Since I was old enough to form an opinion, I always held a strong admiration for the 6th Street Bridge.

Every kid has a favorite bridge, right? Just me? A Pittsburgh thing? No?

The 6th Street Bridge, formally known as the Clemente Bridge, initially reminds me of summer, where it only opened for Pirates home games and invited me to stand below those golden arches framing the city behind me. The taller I got, the less magnificent the beams became, but the view never stopped being impressive.

As a teen, I walked that bridge in the summers to and from internships, jobs and uncharted adventures to my bus stop. We shared many triumphs, failures and fears of each spectrum as we began and ended each day.

As a young adult, I have the absolute pleasure of working next to and driving through that bridge every day, reminding me of where I’ve been and where I hope to be.

Here we are now, the beginning of a new season of baseball, on the countdown to summer, closing in on another year out of college and figuring out how and why and where we are going. The seasons and years mindlessly somehow changed, yet the city stood tall watching it all unfold as if it knew something we didn’t.

Kicking-off baseball, this Pirates season brings a new wave of significance. In the wake of the trading of the beloved Andrew Mccutchen and Gerrit Cole, and overall selfless executive-management from the team during the past few years, leaving even the most hopeless of hopeless-Pirates-fans disappointed and unmotivated to stand behind. I personally don’t feel the wave of energy and excitement that usually electrifies the city during this time of year.

However, this team is still something that I feel obligated to support because of the history and pure love for the game, yet dwindled by the hope of such a situation – which is something I feel we all can relate to as we are moving forward trying to figure out what exactly are we here to do. Do we act on obligation or pure passion or a combination of both? Who is to say what is right or wrong?

This then brings me back to the 6th Street Bridge—named after a young man who came to this city for a fresh start and a chance to pursue a passion, He eventually built pride in its people when and where they needed it the most.

Days start and end, and it sometimes doesn’t feel like we are going anywhere.

We have every reason to question where we are, but we shouldn’t. Allow this magnificent city we call home to make the best of you, even through disappointment. Share with it your triumphs and sorrows, and show it off to those we share these with.

Look back on where you came and where you are going. We are so lucky to have this platform and passions to grow professionally and personally, even as we are still figuring out what all of this means.

There will always be fresh beginnings, bridges to crossand (hopefully) a winning season ahead. We always rise stronger, right?

Each spring is a new start, and you’re up to bat.