Sunday, December 31, 2017

tool box

I am working on a sample chapter for the Wisdom of the Hands book, and what better project is there than a tool box.

The tool box implies that the child will have his or her own tools. Even if the tool box is at some point used for other things, having tools of one's ownis a source of power. Tools are also evidence of trust, as in order to have tools, children must be trusted to use them properly, to care for them and to not use the power they hold for any but the right uses.

Still to be added to this tool box will be places for special tools to fit, like screwdrivers and pliers. Places for pencils, too, will be provided. Some of the tools will be made in the wood shop.

Writing is easy when all you have to do is show how to do things and describe the reasons why. My camera is my best friend in the wood shop. It records the steps, keeping them in the right order. They say that cameras don't lie. The photographer might. But in my case, what you see is what it is.

This is the last day of 2017. Many things were good about this year. I met new friends in several places as I traveled to teach. We completed and opened the new wood shop at the Eureka Springs School of the Arts. My new book about box guitars was completed and published. We have been in good health. I want to thank all those who helped make my 2017 a special year.

2017 was also a year of greater than usual stress, turmoil and destruction. If you pay attention to the national and international news things are not so good.

Special friends of mine send us a letter press holiday card each year that they print themselves. We have a collection of them at this point. Each is a work of art. The message inside this year's card offers good advice for the coming year.
"If we would practice tolerance, we could achieve peace."
May we do that, please. Let 2018 be the year in which bullies are peacefully removed from office and we begin the long slow march toward empathy for each other. Happy New Year!

Make, fix, and create...

No comments:

Post a Comment