I thought it had been built to keep out troops, or as a safety mechanism. No, do you know why it was built? Basically out of ego, and grandeur.
"Shi Huang Di is well known for being a bit obsessed with grandeur and it is entirely possible that he set to getting the Great Wall of China being constructed simply as a way of leaving his mark on the world. In addition, the Great Wall represents a foolproof way of sending those who were causing him trouble to work."
Interesting isn't it? This Great Wall was built so that this man could leave his mark, and provide more work for those who caused him "trouble." There was no true need for the Great Wall, and while I think it is a beautiful artifact of history its purpose is...well..nothing...
This got me to pondering other walls in life, the metaphorical walls we build. I have found in my short life here on this earth that in marriage we build many walls....some build walls against their spouse...some build walls against their spouses family....some build walls around their spouse... some build walls around themselves. None the less, walls are not healthy. I've been very guilty of building walls around myself. I always had the fear of getting hurt, and found that ultimately I was hurting myself and blocking out relationship..I was blocking out people who loved me. My brother Brant, (when he was alive), his wife built walls against his family, and around him. She never wanted him to see us, or talk to us. I wonder why that is? Is it jealousy? Is it fear? I have a friend who shall remain nameless whom is enduring this same type of wall construction. Her spouse is building these walls around her, and her family, and it is breaking their marriage. She cannot grow behind the confines of a wall. With each brick built up the stronger these walls become, and the harder they are to break. Much like the Great Wall of China, these walls serve no purpose, and they are built up out of grandeur and a sense of control.
I hope I never build walls against people, around people, or around myself. I am sure I have before, and I am sure that in this life I will start to again one day...but, I do hope that as quickly as I do I turn around and kick those bricks down. A life blocked in is not a healthy life. A life lived behind a Great Wall is not a life truly lived.
And, as for the spouse that constructs these horrible walls, perhaps they do not truly love, but yet, perhaps they love control...