Excerpt 16: Individuality

The writer, George Bernard Shaw, noticed a huge block of stone in the living room of a friend, the sculptor, J. Epstein.

“What are you going to do with that stone?” Shaw asked.

“I don’t know yet.  I’m thinking about it,” Epstein answered.

Shaw was surprised: “You mean you plan your own inspiration?  Don’t you think an artist has to be free to change his mind when he wants to?“

“That only works when — after changing your mind — all you have to do ball up a piece of paper that weights five grams.  But, when you are dealing with four tons, you have to think differently,” Epstein said.

The master says:

“Each of us knows the best way to do his work.  Only the person confronted with the task knows what problems are involved.”

 

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‎”Maktub” means “It is written.” The Arabs feel that “It is written” is not really a good translation, because, although everything is already written, God is compassionate, and wrote it all down just to help us.