"And it's whispered that soon, if we all call the tune, then the Piper will lead us to reason. And a new day will dawn for those who stand long, and the forests will echo with laughter."
This summer I have been redecorating (and mainly cleaning) my room in my parents' house. It started innocently as repainting my walls (a blue appropriately titled “Enchanting” by Bher), gradually moved to sanding and repainting the baseboards and trim, and now has encompassed taking out the carpet and refinishing the hardwood floors underneath (3 ¼ inch real red oak—absolutely gorgeous). After enlisting my younger brother who stands 6’ 0’’ to help me remove all the furniture from my room and taking up (hopefully) temporary residence underneath our baby grand piano in the living room, I realized the hard work had only just begun. I won’t bore you with the details of the process we must go through to finish these precious planks, but instead explain exactly what you need to know to be able to understand the metaphor. Carpet is tacked down along the perimeter of the room with double sided nails I like to term “evil spears” on strips of wood that are in turn nailed into the ground (or in this case, the wood floors—unfortunate, I know). So my first job is to go around and remove these strips of wood without mauling myself or scratching the wood underneath. It is not so much a delicate process as it is a simple “correct methods” process (once you’ve figured out the trick, it can be easily repeatable and produces the same result each time). But either way, care must be taken and attention given at all times for this seemingly simple and repetitive act. I go to my Dad to obtain the necessary tools, which consists of a hammer and a flat piece of metal with specifically shaped holes and v-shaped slices taken out of it for the nails to fit in (I don’t know the proper term for it). I laugh to myself that there exists a tool specifically for this purpose—and of course, my Dad has it (my Dad loves tools. Notice the emphasis. That’s the sole reason things get done around the house—because he gets to use some random tool he bought. Hah.) He shows me how to do the first one, watches me do the second, and then leaves. Now, this is a very primitive set of tools I have here. Sometimes, simple is the best way to go, and the only thing you need.
Simple is best.
I brought my iPod player into my room and began to play some piano music that is very relaxing. However, with the room being empty, everything echoes. Now remember, I have a metal hammer and metal device thingy. It’s loud. So my eardrums scream as do my arm muscles while I pry the evil spears out of their residences, and in between turns I hear the faint sounds of Chopin’s Prelude No 4 in E Minor in the background. In a way, though, the repetitive simple act is liberating. My mind is free to wander to an extent, while my body sweats and labors to accomplish a task. At this point, I start thinking about this metaphor…
Sometimes in life you have to put yourself in an uncomfortable position or stretch yourself in ways you didn’t know possible to accomplish the task at hand.
Life requires that you put a little muscle into everything that you do. Otherwise, you’ll get a bunch of stubborn nails and some damaged wood.
Sometimes you have to step on a few nails and evil spears before you realize that you should have swept the area prior to deciding to walk around barefoot.
Hard work, sweat, time, and your bare hands can get you just as far as some overpriced fancy device. You save money and get to spend some quality time with your thoughts uninterrupted (for that ear-splitting sound isn’t quite party music to all of your friends and family).
When I was halfway finished, my Mom poked her head in to see if I needed anything. She helped me clean up and swept everything while I worked. Another thing I realized: Dad gives you the tools to succeed (literally) and even shows you how to use them (the intel). Mom is there to help clean up and provide the moral support and encouragement. But when all is said and done, you can walk across that beautiful red oak floor and know that it not only glistens with the oil-based polyurethane protective coating you layered on it, but also with your dreams, sweat, hard work, and even a little of your blood. It is the fruit of your hard labor. So thank you for sitting through this long and completely random explanation. Cheers.
“Your head is humming and it won’t go. In case you don’t know, the Piper’s calling you to join him. Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow? And did you know your stairway lies on the whispering wind? And as we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our souls, there walks a lady we all know, who shines white light and wants to show how everything still turns to gold. And if you listen very hard, the tune will come to you at last. When all are one and one is all—to be a rock and not to roll.”
Stairway to Heaven-Led Zeppelin
The Pups helping me out
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Looks like fun...
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