Keystones Make Us Stronger
There is something about Roman architecture that has always fascinated me. I’ve spent many happy hours exploring the bridges scattered throughout Rome, the ruins of aqueducts in Croatia and the coliseums in Tunisia. The Romans definitely built stuff to last: there are 931 Roman bridges still in use in 26 countries today.
All of that is because of the keystone.
A keystone is the wedge-shaped stone at the apex of a stone vault or arch. It is the final piece placed during construction whose very weight locks all the other stones into position, allowing the arch or vault to bear weight.
A well-built stone arch doesn’t need any mortar to connect its parts. It doesn’t need any other internal or external reinforcement (e.g. re-bar). The force from compression alone is what keeps it upright, stable and together. In fact, the greater the force, the stronger the arch.
Which makes me wonder:
What if the compressive force of this time has, in fact, helped strengthen and draw attention to the larger systems of which we have always been a part?
The yield or breaking point of a Roman bridge was far beyond the actual load the structure would ever see. Far beyond.
Not in spite of the weight of the keystone.
Because of it.
What if we, too, have been made stronger because of what we have just endured?
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