Fault Lines and Stress Fractures

Montreal is famous for potholes.

I am no engineer, but my understanding is that they are formed by heavy traffic on roads constructed using substandard methods and materials, and exacerbated by exposure to extreme weather conditions, including the use of salt to burn through winter ice. These cracks widen, deepen and collect dirt, water and debris the longer they are neglected; and their prevalence dictates that we drive more carefully in spring to avoid damage to our vehicles; traffic slows even further in summer as all of the main arteries to our island city undergo major repairs... every year.

It's easy to blame all the traffic jams and bent rims on someone else, but we all make choices that contribute either to the problem or to the solution. Elements like weather are beyond our control; but someone is making choices about materials and methods of construction, maintenance and repair; and as users of the system, we all have choices whether to obey warning signs about speeds, weight restrictions and detours... either way, we will live with the results every day.

How does this reflect the choices we make in our work and personal lives? Are we building things to last or taking shortcuts with the expectation that we will fix it all later? And if we have to assign blame—which, in my opinion, is a relatively useless waste of time and energy unless followed by substantive learning and change instead of just passing the buck—whose fault is it, really? 

I have a quilt design under development which symbolizes this kind of progression, with a working title of Repression / Rage / Reconciliation. I'll keep you posted on developments; it's currently only under construction in my mind... and I want to do it right the first time. :)

UPDATE: Interesting juxtaposition between my post this morning and another one in Montreal Gazette today re vanity plates...check it out here...