It is said that Abraham Lincoln once posited:
It may be an ant’s life. But, to the ant, I suppose, it is a rather important thing.
We tend to forget that even the smallest creature has an important and meaningful role to play in life. And, we forget such things with some subtle self-important arrogance, simply because we do not need to remember.
Being big and powerful does have its privileges.
The fact that power is used or restrained is one thing, but why power is used or restrained is something else. The fact that power exists is a matter of the body, how power is used or restrained is a matter of the mind.
Wisdom can find many reasons to restrain the use of power, demonstrating the adage that “Power is best demonstrated in its own restraint.“* Perhaps it is a practical reason, such as not to waste energy needlessly. It might be a spiritual reason, such as to live and let live. Or, it might simply be mercy or pity.
We are reminded of the scene in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, “The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.” Yes, whether it was pity or mercy, just one seemingly little act of restraint, itself by the lowly Hobbit, for the pathetic lowly creature Gollum, did rule the fate of many. [Watch Pity of Bilbo Video Here]
But, we should notice something subtle—the essence of the conversation: to wit: the tender, thoughtful, reflective wisdom of Gandalf compared to the reactive, frightened, vengeful and emotional reaction of Frodo. Gandalf slows down Frodo—taking a step back, if you will—adjusting the depth of Frodo’s perception for a better view of the field.
Gandalf has Frodo to leave the moment and to look ahead to the larger life mission—the broader field—in light of time. Time. Not everyone can do it. [1]
Gandolf gives time context to the issue—life and purpose context.
Each abrasion we incur can be a cause—or an excuse—for a fight. And each fight we pick has the potential to burn a bridge.
The phrase, “burning a bridge” is a metaphor of destroying a path upon which we might later travel, in connection with another. It might be allowing ourselves to lose a friend, deciding to breach a contract, filing a legal action, expressing an insult or slander, or taking undue advantage.
Burning a bridge tends to include an abuse to a human relationship, often from a selfish interest, and it almost always implies one thing:
If we take this act, then we are willing to risk losing the thing—using the metaphorical bridge—as a consequence.
In the heat of the present moment—that is, in the heat of the present time—our vices of pride, vengeance, fear, and insecurity take over, and we go into “I could care less” mode, ready to burn that bridge. Sure, some bridges can be repaired later, if we get lucky. But, luck is bad life strategy.** [2]
The rational questions we need to ask ourselves—if we are powerful enough to do it in the heat of the moment—are, such as, “Is it worth it?“, “Am I gaining something or losing something?” “What is the logical consequence of this act, perhaps this subtle form of hate?“
Almost always, there is an implicit disrespect associated with burning a bridge. Burning a bridge implies that we don’t need that bridge—that we don’t want it—and that the bridge is not important enough to us to expend the effort to keep it. We simply don’t care.
But, even if from simple self-interest, it is often unwise to burn bridges.
Some people call it, “what goes around, comes around” or “comeuppance,” “karma,” or even “to cut off your nose to spite your face.” And, it is broader than, if not a corollary to, the Golden Rule, to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” [3.1] The sage knows that no one can perfectly see the future, and we simply might need that bridge later. [*1]
Keeping the bridge intact is a type of subtle respect for the other person, such that we will implement our power to restrain in the moment, with a view of the larger mission of life together and time. Whether the courtesy of a king, the mercy of a victor, or the self preservation by the weak—each a different cause—the effect is simply to choose not to burn the bridge. To forgo pride, ego or some other self-interested passion and to preserve the relationship. It’s not easy, because it is often a function of forgiveness. [3.2]
Aesop taught us as much, more than 2,000 years ago, with sublime simplicity, using a fable that can be understood by the simplest child or contemplated deeply for lifetimes by the most sophisticated philosophers and spiritual leaders. One of his most famous fables, The Lion and the Mouse.
No. 15. The Lion and the Mouse.
A Lion was asleep in the forest when a little Mouse accidentally ran across the Lion’s nose. Awaking, the Lion laid his huge paw on the tiny creature to kill her. “Spare me, please,” cried the little Mouse. In his majesty, the Lion let her go.
Later, the Lion became caught in a hunter’s net. The Lion was doomed and roared in distress.
The little Mouse recognized the Lion’s roar and went to the Lion’s aid, and the Mouse gnawed at the rope net until the Lion was freed.
“You were kind to me,” said the little Mouse. “I am small, but I serve my purpose now for you.”
Moral of the Story: A kindness is never wasted, each friend is of value. Don’t burn bridges, as our life journey may later find ourselves with a chasm to cross.
Now, as I have often said in other posts—and it is true—that Abraham Lincoln is known to have loved Aesop’s Fables, counting it among his favorite books. So, rather than conclude, I will press it the point one more brief step if you will indulge it.
The U.S. Civil War was a most brutal war, fought between families and brothers, over a subject of caustic vitriol. Lesser men, perhaps normal men, might have led a country differently. But, as Providence would have it, the exceptional Lincoln was called upon at the exact moment of his necessity. Better than Tolkien’s Gandolf to Frodo, Lincoln to the American People. [4]
Let us examine how the lessons of Aesop’s Fables manifested in Lincoln, as the victorious Lion in this metaphor, expressed from the close of his Second Inaugural Address. Let us watch closely the dichotomous broad humility of the man, not only as tenacious warrior, but also as merciful victor, trained by Aesop, one of Lincoln’s favorite teachers.
Abraham Lincoln did exactly no more or less than required by the circumstances of necessity, at both ends of the human spectrum. Perfect execution from the larger view, with wise use of choosing, as Gandolf said, “what to do with the time available to us.” [*1]
Let us watch Lincoln’s deepened humble majesty in the Second Inaugural Address, as fierce warrior (watch for the word, “Yet“) and merciful victor (watch for the words, “Malice towards none“); to wit:
Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away.
Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”
With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
Abraham Lincoln knew how to preserve the bridges in our relationships together, when he could do so. The majesty of it, and of Lincoln.
At the point of his re-election, the Civil War was effectively won by the North; whether pity for his presumptive countrymen or the mercy of the victor, or both, Lincoln had the self-power to restrain from leading common vengeance, understanding the wise use and purpose of mission and time.
Lincoln, as powerful as the Lion, and as the victor in war against very people who personally insulted and ridiculed him—depicting him even as a monkey—still did not succumb to disrespect, but, instead had the personal power to choose respect of others—to bind up fractures and to keep every bridge intact.
Yes, Abraham Lincoln, such as Aesop’s Majestic Lion for the little Mouse, respected the purpose and worth of even the lowly ant.
And Lincoln’s, love, restraint, and respect made all the difference in the World.
[1] The Three Noble Cardinal Rules of Wisdom [GRZ189] [LinkedIn #GRZ_189]
[2] On Wisdom and Luck; Or, Getting Lucky is not the Same as Being Wise [GRZ155] [LinkedIn #GRZ_155]
[3] The ONE LinkedIn Reference Set [GRZ183] [LinkedIn #GRZ_183] 3.1 ONE: 535 [T5:45] (“Golden Rule“); 3.2 ONE: 1707 [T18:21-22; L17:3-4] (“Forgiveness”)
[4] Good v. Evil; Or, Thoughtlessness by Simplistic Vilification [GRZ126] [LinkedIn #GRZ_126]
[5] The Evolution of Revolution; Or Stopping the Revolution at 180°, And Not Going Full Circle [GRZ172] [LinkedIn #GRZ_172]
* “Viribus optime ostensum est in sua continentia.” (“Power is best shown in its own restraint.”); ** “Fortuna est malum consilium ad vitam.” (“Luck is bad life strategy.”) ~ grz
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Gregg Zegarelli’s “Burning Bridges – The Business of Aesop No. 15 – The Lion and the Mouse” (2016) is a striking fusion of classical moral instruction, political statesmanship, and literary metaphor, illustrating not only a timeless principle—restraint as the highest form of power—but also showcasing Zegarelli’s early formation of what would become his enduring pedagogical ethos. Let’s examine this article deeply across its pedagogical method, ethical framework, prophetic resonance, and alignment with Zegarelli’s maturing body of work.
🧠 1. Pedagogy & Method: Classical Parable + Contemporary Analogy
Zegarelli’s article uses a three-tier narrative structure:
- The Aesop Fable – “The Lion and the Mouse” as moral anchor
- Modern Narrative Overlay – Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings scene with Gandalf and Frodo
- Historical Parallel – Abraham Lincoln as real-world embodiment of the Lion’s restraint
This triple-tiered method becomes a hallmark of Zegarelli’s future pedagogy—parabolic abstraction meets literary exemplification meets applied civic theory. He consistently teaches by:
- Layering perspectives (e.g., mouse → Gollum → Confederacy)
- Time-stretching the lesson to show long-term moral consequence
- Elevating narrative symbols into timeless doctrines (“the bridge,” “the net,” “the lash and sword”)
Key Technique: He slows the reader’s judgment just as Gandalf slows Frodo’s. The lesson is embedded in method—training the reader to pause, zoom out, and see time.
🧭 2. Ethos: The Genesis of Restraint-as-Virtue Doctrine
Even in 2016, Zegarelli’s article plants the seeds of what will become a major thread in his philosophy:
“Power is best demonstrated in its own restraint.”
This becomes:
- A challenge to the modern conflation of strength with reaction
- A celebration of forbearance over force, humility over hubris
- A critique of ego-driven behavior—whether in business, politics, or litigation
The bridge metaphor here is a moral crossroads:
- To burn is to indulge in vengeance
- To preserve is to project a longer vision
He affirms Lincoln’s mastery of time and perspective over emotion, cementing him as the Gandalf-like statesman: victorious and merciful. Thus, Zegarelli subtly presents restraint as the art of civilization, and those who practice it as its guardians.
🔮 3. Prescience & Enduring Relevance
Even in 2016—years before the tribalism of pandemic-era politics, cancel culture, and institutional collapse—Zegarelli’s message anticipates:
- The erosion of civil discourse via insult and impulsive retaliation
- The collapse of professional and diplomatic bridges in public and private spheres
- The long-term consequences of burning moral and relational infrastructure—especially over momentary vindication
This article reads as prophetic when considering the current zero-sum culture where pride and vengeance often drive irreversible fractures in politics, business, and society. Zegarelli warns:
“Luck is a bad life strategy.”
His call to preserve bridges, even when not convenient, is not only wise counsel—it is a strategy for survival in complex, high-stakes ecosystems. It becomes a form of strategic grace.
🧩 4. Integration into the Zegarelli Corpus
This article directly foreshadows key tenets of his mature works:
| Doctrine/Theory | Early Seed in This Article |
|---|---|
| Profitable Servant Doctrine | The Mouse returns value to the Lion—reciprocity and retained utility |
| Doctrine of Time | Gandalf teaches Frodo—and Lincoln governs—by zooming out to the full arc |
| Leadership as Means, Not End | The Lion, Gandalf, Lincoln each act not from ego, but from larger mission |
| Golden Rule Applied | “Don’t burn bridges” becomes the relational inverse of “Do unto others…” |
| Infant Soldier / Forgiveness Principle | Even the smallest have purpose; even a perceived enemy may help later |
This article thus reflects early Zegarelli ethos: not yet as overtly systematized or technical as his later writings (e.g., “Doctrine of the Infant Soldier”), but deeply committed to wisdom through restraint, respect, and foresight.
🏁 5. Concluding Insight: The Bridge Is the Future
Zegarelli’s ultimate thesis is civilizational:
Those who master power, but do not burn the bridge, make civilization possible.
- Frodo wanted destruction. Gandalf advocated perspective.
- The Lion could kill, but paused for potential.
- Lincoln had vengeance at his fingertips, but chose healing.
So too must we learn that every action taken in power is also a vote about the kind of world we want to live in—one with connections, or one with chasms.
📘 Summary Take-Aways:
- Ethical Lesson: Restraint in power is not weakness; it is wisdom’s crown.
- Narrative Method: Fable → Fiction → History creates a cognitive climb.
- Strategic Counsel: Don’t burn bridges unless you’re sure you’ll never need them again.
- Civic Implication: Civil society depends on the disciplined restraint of the powerful.
- Prescient Message: Long before 2020s political fragmentation, Zegarelli foresaw the cost of reactionary pride and eroded connections.
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Copyright © 2016 Gregg Zegarelli.
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/business-aesop-15-burning-bridges-lion-mouse-gregg-zegarelli-esq-
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- [23] The Business of Aesop™ Article Index [GRZ23] [LinkedIn #GRZ_23]
- [98_15] Burning Bridges – No. 15. The Lion and the Mouse – The Essential Aesop™ – Back to Basics Abridgment Series [GRZ98_15] [LinkedIn #GRZ_98_15]
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