— the instinct to create, to make things with our own hands, is part of every man’s natural inheritance
I like to think that somewhere in the work we do lies the secret of existence. Something our work demands of us, differing perhaps with each individual and yet, rightly understood, demanding our best; something it gives to us, helping to mould us and through us giving a contribution to the world. The man who receives much and gives much is the man of genius, but we others, each in his different degree, have all something to give and can give willingly and feel our powers grow and strengthen or we can refuse and dwindle to less than our full stature. What that stature is nobody knows this side of eternity but we can add enormously to the purpose and meaning of our lives by trying to find out.
— Charles Hayward, The Woodworker magazine, 1954, excerpted from “Honest Labour“
Honest labour can be tragic if it is drudgery in the involuntary pursuit of survival. It is a luxury when one’s labour can be by choice a labour of creativity, satisfaction, and perhaps joy. It is also tragic when one’s labour is by choice only in the pursuit of material gain, that that alone is the sole satisfaction of a life lived. Choosing to work with one’s hands has its own rewards and cannot help but reflect in one’s character and approach to life and the people around one. That such labour can sometimes be an obsession can be forgiven.
Richard, your last two comments are what we all need to spend time teaching others, especially young children, whether they be students in a classroom, the neighbor kids or our own children and grandchildren. One never knows when the lessons learned/activities observed will result in a creative drive.