Craftsman

We need to know how to be craftsmen. We must not become lazy or totally dependent on others.

If we want to develop in the three areas — physical, mental, and spiritual — and our goal is to create an ethical and brotherly society, and our purpose in life is to love, to serve, and to seek truth, then we must be craftsmen in something. Being a craftsman of our body, of our mind, and of our spirit is the way to grow and nourish ourselves in these areas.

Being a craftsman in some activity also allows us to teach others — not only the youngest, but anyone — about ethics and brotherhood. We can serve others by being capable of doing real work for them. And we must know the basics in order to handle the basics ourselves. When something is more complex, we turn to specialists. But for everyday things, we should be able to manage — as our ancestors did.

I do not mean everything our ancestors did, because there may be things I am not thinking of right now. But knowing how to hunt, start a fire, change a light bulb, build a wall, make a table, bake bread, write, paint — we must try these things, do them, and find among them what we enjoy and feel comfortable doing.