ABSTRACT
In many ways, the dimension of relational ethics can be thought of as a bridge from one’s past, stretching through oneself to the future. The way that the bridge reaches into the past tells us much about who we are, what we deserve, and what we are obligated to give. This bridge back to the past may be a strong and trustworthy structure that provides stability for our being and our actions, or it may be weak and unsure, leaving us to question almost every part of our self-conceptions and interactions. But whether the bridge is strong or weak, it provides us with an undeniable link to our past. It is our legacy, heritage, and foundation. It impacts us cognitively, socially, emotionally, behaviorally, and spiritually. It is from this past that we make our contribution to the structure of how life is to be lived through the way we handle and deal with our relationships. No matter what their past, individuals become responsible for their part in the here and now, in making the bridge that runs through them either stronger or weaker.
