Breaking Down The Wall

I removed a section of brick wall today and I must say it was quite a philosophical experience. I'd never done it before and didn't realise just how easy it would be, or how exactly to go about it. I had images of grabbing a sledgehammer and smashing it up, but that turned out to be a very messy, ineffective and unnecessary option.

I simply took a small but weighty hammer and tapped at one brick until it finally broke loose. From there I continued along, gradually removing one brick at a time until the wall was removed completely, all the bricks neatly stacked aside.

I feel this process is an analogy for so many things in life.

As in my post "Steven The Beaver" - http://myfighttowrite.blogspot.com/2010/11/steven-beaver.html - it's a lesson that something that seems so impossible can be done if you just work at it a piece at a time, carefully and persistently, with the right tools and method.

It's also a lesson that rather than struggling to "climb over" life's obstacles, or simply be stopped in our tracks because of them, we can remove them if we are persistent and diligent, using our knowledge and skills to slowly piece them apart.

Another analogy is the power of teamwork. One brick alone is easily discarded, but when teamed together in an organised fashion they become a strong force capable of amazing things. Each individual brick has great worth and importance, as once one is removed the integrity of the structure is weakened considerably.

I often refer to brick walls in relationships and this is another very useful lesson. I've always vouched for being aware of the "little bricks" that can stack themselves progressively between you and your partner. If you are willing to be aware of them and deal with them as each brick shows up they're easily tossed aside. But once they've formed a wall not only can all communication and vision between you and your partner be lost but you will also have quite a task trying to remove the wall. But this analogy shows that even if you've let this wall come into existence it doesn't mean it can't be removed if you're willing to acquire the correct tools and slowly work at it, brick by brick, until it's gone.

Further to this, it's common to think a sledgehammer is the best way and just start beating the wall to bits, but this is a very messy and destructive process. The beauty of taking the wall apart brick by brick is that at the end you still have all the individual bricks in one piece, making them useful. In a similar way if we take a more intelligent, calculated approach, using the correct tools - more delicate tools - and deal with each separate issue rather than just "grabbing the sledgehammer" then at the end we are left with neat, usable remains - lessons about ourselves and our lives which we can apply to our future to help make better, more conscious, decisions.

So don't let brick walls get in your way, in any area of your life.


Breaking Down The Wall

I found a brick today, laying at my feet
Between my partner and myself, a cube so neat

So it didn't bother us too much, easy to ignore
But soon enough we noticed there were more

Slowly they stacked up higher, piece by piece
Incessantly their number would increase

Then one day when I turned I couldn't see
My partner who for so long looked back at me

I called over the wall, I could hear a reply
But I couldn't understand though hard I try

I used all my energy, til I had to sit on the floor
With my back to this hard surface with no door

But then this feeling grew inside, I will not quit
For I love them with all my heart, yes every bit

So I got myself a hammer, and tapped at a top brick
And found it could be broken free quite quick

And as I held that brick in hand, admiring what I'd done
I saw my partner was removing one

Together we tapped away, with purpose and with care
It wasn't long before that huge wall wasn't there

So now when bricks appear, we know just what to do
A wall will never stand between me and you