The Snowflake Chronicles

The Stone Chippers View

12 Mulk 163 B.E. - Sunday, February 18, 2007

The story goes this way. There were two stonemasons working in the courtyard of a building under construction in Renaissance Italy. Priests walked up to the first man and ask “What are you doing, My Son?” The man gave the priest an irritated look and answered, “Can’t you see, Father, I’m chipping stones!”

The priest went to the next man and ask, “What are you doing, My Son?” The man laid his tools down, wiped the sweat off his brows and smiled at the priest. “I building a cathedral, Father!”

The difference in attitude between the two workers is interesting. The first was only trying to get through the day, while the second was the creating a work of art and knew it. I can just imagine the two after they got off work. The first goes home to his wife, who asks him, “How was you day, Dear?” His answer, “Same old task, one chip after another, I completed only one stone today and started on another one, but there must have been a crack in the stone because when I struck it the first time it shattered. The foreman docked my pay because of the ruined stone and then got on my case because I’m now three stones behind my quota this week.”

The second may returns home and his wife ask, “How was your day, Love?” His answer, “Wonderful, my sweet, I completed the key stone that goes above the main entrance this morning and this after noon I started on one of the corner stones for the back entrance. In addition, the architect wants me to carve one of the gargoyles that’s placed above the windows in the front of the cathedral. I’ll be getting a raise in the next pay period.”

Sometime I approach writing from the stone chippers view instead of the artist view. This makes writing more difficult and causes my inner critic to be more critical. It also stuffs a sock in the mouth of my muse. I always know which attitude I have, if I get tired of writing easily and can’t find a solution then I’m using the Stone Chippers View, but if my attitude is the Stone Artist view, then I can see several possible solutions to a situation. In addition, the ideas come one right after another, falling over them selves for inscription on the page.

For any problem writing or other wise there is usually more than one solution. However, the stone chipper sees only a single solution to the problem and that solution may not be the best or the most appropriate. The Stone Artist sees more than one solution to a problem. This is because the artist sees the final project in its entirety. The artist will approach each stone carefully looking for the best place to begin carving before starting. Then if the chosen solution doesn’t work out, will find the next solution.

I try to be an artist most of the time, but lately I’ve found that worry gets in the way. If I’m worried about a situation in my life, it affects the way I write. Then my inner critic starts pounding on me and I can’t get anything written. When this happens I need to stop, say some prayers and then continue writing. If I write enough words then the solution will present itself. Eventually everything works out for the best.