Musings/Crafts { Strength, Sweat, Steel
I forged a sword today...ok well it wasn't a sword, it was a fireplace poker. However I forged it in the old ways, hammer, anvil, coal, sweat, steel and strength. The forge was stoked until the heat made the soul of the steel glow and pliable to the ministrations of the hammer. The steel was hammered, split, angled, and twisted. It was shaped to my and by my will. When its glowing thirst was quenched by the cool water, it was lavished with and lathered in oil (olive) and once more was it put back to the fire to complete the ritual and seal in the essence of the steel.
I felt something primal. I felt pride when I was finished, sweaty, sooty, and grinning.
2 comments:
I think we, as knowledge / intellectual workers, lose the primal connection to our work that a blacksmith / plumber / carpenter has on every job. They can see, touch, and feel the results of their labors. So can others.
Us? We make boxes run that no one really knows about until they break.
Not as satisfying, that.
I agree. We, if our job is done right, are unknown, until calamity happens. I think if I had to do another job, blacksmithing wouldn't be so bad, hard work? Hell yes. But satisfying.
My cousin (whose forge I used) is contemplating leaving IT and becoming a blacksmit full time.
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