let my people go surfing

this is a book by Yvon Chouinard, the founder and owner of patagonia. today this company earns more than 230 million a year and is one of the most environmentally responsible corporations on the planet. the first 80 pages of the book detail the creation story of patagonia and how it got to where it is today. the last 2/3rds of the book center on the ethos of patagonia and how that plays out in everyday business. It has been a really fascinating read. One of my favorite quotes was this guiding principle of design from Antoine de Saint Exupery, the french aviator:

"have you ever thought, not only about the airplane but whatever man builds, that all of man's industrial efforts, all his computations and calculations, all the nights spent working over draughts and blueprints, invariably culminate in the production of a thing whose sole and guiding principle is the ultimate principle of simplicity?

it is as if there were a natural law which ordained that to achieve this end, to refine the curve of a piece furniture, or a ship's keel, or the fuselage of an airplane, until gradually it partakes of the elementary purity of the curve of the human breast or shoulder, there must be an experimentation of several generations of craftsman. in anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away, when a body has been stripped down to its nakedness."

the relentless pursuit to strip things down to their core is truly an art form. when Michelangelo sculpted the marble David he is quoted to express that, "when i saw this piece of marble, i knew immediately David was inside, my job would be to cut away the excess marble to reveal him." i think many of us see a David, when we're putting together our art. mine happens to center around teachings i share for junior high students and the larger mars hill community. what i've come to realize is that often in the middle of the process, i begin to question the David and instead of cut away i begin to add.

this questioning prcess, if not harnessed correctly i have found can derail the whole potential of the teaching. so lately, when i start to feel insecure about an idea, begin to think it needs more, or feel the temptation to disengage i simply go for a walk. and in this walk, i give myself the freedom to vent, to spill my insecurities, fears or pressures that are tempting me to add more. i bring to light those parts of my humanity that truly are a shadow mission and try to embody the french aviators quote by letting my emotions be stripped down to it's nakedness.

so many communicators, including myself distract their audience with the use of too much content. Bono, once was asked why he doesn't parade around the stage with the irish flag anymore and he responded something like this, "when i use to do that, i couldn't just stand there and sing...i didn't believe in the words enough." Do you believe in your art enough? or has the message you're communicating become to cluttered? What could it be if you chose to not add or distract; but rather were relentless to cut away and subtract? I bet it would be vulnerably special because not only the message; but you would have been stripped to your core.

Comments

[joe hays]

That quote from the french guy made me feel funny inside.

Thanks so much for the book - can't wait to start.

I was so glad to get a few days hanging out with you and aaron on the island again. Hope you can join us somewhere in the pacific.

I'll be praying for you on our trip to the BVIs. I'm confident God will continue to light these paths of yours.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
[proverbs 3 MSG]

take care, brother.

joe

[jvk]

Great book... I read it last year. very inspiring.

jvk

[supra youth]

I like you on facebook and follow through google reader!