Way back in 1999, the movie The Matrix hit the big screen. It was reality-shifting in its scope and storytelling. There were so many memorable quotes that I could spend the rest of the day repeating them. One that remains fixed in my mind came out of the following conversation.
Spoon Boy: Do not try to bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead… only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Spoon Boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Spoon Boy: Then you’ll see that it is not the spoon that bends. It is only yourself.
There is no spoon! Our minds, perceptions, and beliefs define what we see. Right?
Last week, I attended a workshop where I took the pottery class, along with one on whittling and woodworking. We were shown how to use a small carving tool to shape bits of pine and basswood. To be honest, I have very little comfort with tools, building things, or any kind of wood-shoppy activities. I don’t know if it’s because I’m not very patient or because I have ten thumbs.
But what the hell, let’s go! As the class finished its initial practice, the instructor handed out basswood blanks for us to carve. I chose a spoon blank for no reason other than I couldn’t get the idea that there was no spoon out of my head.
I devoted the next ninety minutes to turning that flat block into the semblance of a spoon. I kept reminding myself to slow down and simply be with the wood. I felt myself settling into a peaceful place. Chip, chip, chip… the bowl of the spoon began to appear.
I learned something, or perhaps I simply reminded myself of something I already knew: just being in the moment, without expectations, without my mind pushing me to create a masterpiece, is a special place to find and experience.
After all, there is no spoon.
P.S. I ordered a set of tools and wood from Amazon. 😊
