comfort in a turbulent world

Today I'll meet with a contractor about expanding a garage to become the new wood shop in our new hands-on learning center at the Clear Spring School. I'm also getting my thoughts together for an interview tomorrow with an editor from the Arkansas Democrat-'Gazette, our state-wide newspaper. In addition to that, I'm beginning to prepare for my week long ESSA class in making small cabinets, building a cremains box for my sister Sue's ashes and sanding the underside of the maple table.

Some of these things are for the head, some for the hands, some for both. The hands bring comfort in a turbulent world.

Yesterday I received a packet of racist fliers in the mail in response to a letter I had published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that pointed out that freedom of religion and representative democracy were important parts of our constitution. The packet was sent with my name and address printed in a trembling hand with no return address. It included a very brief venomous note that I'll not share. We are living in difficult times in which the worst of people's inclinations are being put in full display. We have a president that stokes people's fears to keep his grip on power.

Where's wood working when we need it most? It settles the nerves. It teaches important lessons in forgiveness. It lifts our intentions toward the creation of useful beauty. It empowers us to create. It directs us toward service to each other. It connects us with the beauty of the natural world with the possibility that we might be moved to protect it.

Make, fix and create.