Carvings
/“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”
Attributed to William James
Down the road, in the shadow of Mount Rushmore, there’s another statue being carved in a mountain. This one's in memory of Crazy Horse, an inspirational figure in Native American history whose memorial speaks not only of his life but the rich tradition in which it was lived. Both through the figure being carved and the museum and school at its feet, people will be reminded of many valuable lessons, one of the most important in the building of the memorial itself.
Begun in 1948, artist Korczak Ziolkowski was asked to depict Crazy Horse and all the culture he represented. The design is enormous in scale and shows Crazy Horse sitting upon a stallion with his arm and finger pointing to the hills that belong to his people who are buried there. When completed, it will be equal to the more famous carving up the road, but in its construction there is a lesson not to be missed.
The man who began the work is dead. His wife, who carried on his work, recently died. In fact, everyone working on the statue today will not live to see its completion, but that’s what makes their work so inspirational.
The artist began knowing he would never see the finished project. Seeing it completed was not the point. The project was. In the same way, carvers continue to carve, teachers continue to teach, fundraisers continue to solicit, and volunteers continue to offer their time and talent. It is their legacy. Their names will not be remembered, and yet they show up each morning. They all are involved in something that will outlast themselves.
I couldn’t help but think of my own life (and yours) and ask whether we are working in the same way?
Is what we are doing with our lives going to outlast it?
Is our focus about us, or something greater?
Do the purposes of our lives point to us or someone or something greater?
Is our purpose to have our names written somewhere?
What are we carving, and why?
https://crazyhorsememorial.org