We all have issues, so we find ways to deal with them. Life’s pressures can make things worse, and small problems often lead to more compulsive habits. Without a healthy self-awareness and positive connection to others, things will inevitably get worse. That’s how addiction happens.
I started drinking in high school, and I got a lot better at it in college. I didn’t see it as a problem; it was simply how I had fun, relaxed, and dealt with worries. Over time, life got more complicated and stressful, and I slowly turned into a highly-functioning alcoholic. But I still wasn’t aware of the magnitude of the problem, and I certainly wasn’t talking to anyone about it. Until I crashed.
Inspection and maintenance of our issues don’t come naturally. What we forget to consider is that preventing problems is a lot easier than repairing them, or dealing with the consequences.
An Allegory: The Silver Bridge Disaster
Charlene Wood was driving home when she felt the bridge she was crossing begin to shake.
She put her car in reverse and was able to move back a short distance before the car stalled. Charlene was four feet from the precipice when the bridge suddenly rocked and collapsed into the icy river below. Wood later recalled, “I could see car lights flashing as they were tumbling into the water. The car in front of me went in. Then there was silence.”
The Silver Bridge was built to span the Ohio River and connect West Virginia and Ohio. But on December 15, 1967, the bridge collapsed while full of rush-hour traffic, resulting in the tragic deaths of 46 people. What caused the collapse?
The deadliest bridge disaster in US history began with a tiny crack 1/10 of an inch deep. This fissure in a metal bar led to the failure of a suspension chain and the destruction of the entire bridge, which then plunged 31 cars into the Ohio River. (story paraphrased from Timeline)
Regular Inspection and Maintenance
The story of the Silver Bridge can serve as an allegory. But are we willing to learn from it?
Issues may be small at first
The crack in the eyebar in the Silver Bridge formed around a small impurity in the steel and slowly grew from internal corrosion. That’s how things work with us as well. We all have issues, and they may start small. The problem is that we don’t even notice they are there, or else we choose to rationalize them or deny they exist. Which allows them to get bigger.
Problems get worse under pressure
Aggravated by weather and movement of the bridge, the crack in the steel came under pressure. And, over decades, heavier cars put more weight on the bridge, and thicker traffic exacerbated the problem. In life, we face aggravations, burdens, and busy-ness ourselves, which put additional pressures on any inner issues we may have ignored.
Inspection and maintenance are critical
The design of the Silver Bridge made inspection of the suspension chains difficult, and ongoing maintenance did not catch the growing problem. We can all benefit from a regular inspection and maintenance program ourselves. That calls for developing self-awareness and connecting with others, and then learning the coping skills to manage our issues effectively.
Having issues is normal, and we all face pressures in life. But it’s a choice we either make or avoid to do something about it. And doing nothing leads to bigger problems, and perhaps a crash.
But, too often, that’s exactly what we choose to do. Nothing.
Question: Is there anything from the Silver Bridge story you can learn from?
Action: Decide what type of inspection and maintenance plan you need in your life.
