THOSE OF US WHO ARE HARD-WORKING, PASSION-DRIVEN DRYSTONE MASONS/WALLERS OR CRAFTSMEN PLY AWAY AT OUR VARIOUS TRADES BECAUSE WE LOVE WHAT WE DO... PERIOD! I DON'T KNOW ANY GREAT ONES WHO LIVE EXTRAVAGANTLY RICH LIVES. IN FACT, A LIFE IN PURSUIT OF LEISURE ONLY AND ENDLESS CONSUMPTION IS WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY DISINTERESTED IN FOR OURSELVES. RATHER, WE TAKE IMMENSE PRIDE IN THE PURSUIT OF MORE CHALLENGING PROJECTS AND BUILDING THINGS THAT WILL LAST FOR GENERATIONS.
I KNOW A LOT OF CRAFTSMEN RANGING FROM DRYSTONE WALLERS TO BLACKSMITHS AND FROM CANVAS SEWERS TO WOODWORKERS. ONE COMMON COMPLAINT (AND OUR GREATEST CHALLENGE) IS THE LEVEL OF IGNORANCE THAT PREVAILS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ABOUT THESE TRADES AND WHAT THEY MEAN FOR THE ENERGY DYNAMIC THEY CAN BRING TO HOMES AND SPACES.
BEYOND THE IGNORANCE IS THE LACK OF MONETARY VALUE SOME (NOT ALL) CUSTOMERS PLACE ON OUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE. FURTHERMORE, NOTHING - AND I MEAN NOTHING - IS WORSE THAN SECURING A CONTRACT TO BUILD A FEATURE FOR CLIENTS AND THEN, AS THE PROCESS BEGINS, TO DISCOVER THEY ARE "MONEY-RICH" (POOR IN CHARACTER, EMPATHY AND ABILITY TO RELATE TO MOST OF THE WORLD), ADULT HUMANS AFFLICTED WITH "AFFLUENZA". THEIR ENERGY DYNAMIC IS TO ATTEMPT TO DEVALUE OUR WORK BY TRYING TO DEMAND SHORTCUTS, COMPLAIN ABOUT HOURLY WAGES OR PRICING, AND SO ON. THEY ARE BLIND TO WHAT IS POSSIBLE AND TO THE CRITICAL ENERGY DYNAMIC BETWEEN THE CLIENT AND THE MASON.
SO, WE EITHER SUCK IT UP, FINISH THE PROJECT AND LEARN TO APPRECIATE THE APPRECIATIVE CUSTOMERS WHO LIVE OTHERWISE OR, SOMETIMES, WE SIMPLY HAVE TO CHOOSE TO WALK AWAY WHEN IT ALL BECOMES TOO TOXIC AND ENERGY-DRAINING AND LEARN TO LISTEN TO THE LITTLE VOICE IN OUR HEADS THAT TELLS US WHEN TO SAY "NO" TO A POSSIBLE PROJECT EVEN WHEN WE DESPERATELY NEED THE MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR FAMILIES.
