Builder

One day a Shepherd came upon a friend who was known to be a Builder.He found the man sitting upon a pile of dried bricks gazing upon a scroll, that he held outstretched before him. His face looked perplexed and the Builder suddenly snorted in frustration.

“Hello, my friend…what brings you here to this place and what troubles your brow so?” The Shepherd asked the Builder.

The Builder rolled up his scroll and smiled upon seeing his friend the Shepherd so unexpectedly He stood and rushed to the Shepherd and embraced him warmly. “It is good to see you, and may I ask what brings you here?”

“I am grazing my flock as you can see.” The Shepherd indicated to his small flock of sheep that grazed in the distance to the south.

“I see.” The Builder responded and then he stood gazing silently at the Shepherd’s flock.

“I am sure you are not here to just lay brick in a vast field for no purpose.” The Shepherd noted.

“Yes, you are correct my friend, I am supposed to building a wall for the King.” The Builder responded.

The Shepherd gazed about and only saw the pile of bricks and they alone would not make for a wall of any use.

“Have you only started your task?” The Shepherd inquired of his friend.

“Just started…if only that were so. I have been at this for many days, but as you can see, I have no idea on how to begin this task before, me,” The Builder paused. “I have my plans and know the King’s wishes, yet I cannot help but feel like something is amiss, or shall structure I build, be the wall the King actually desires. I have left my workers to rest until, I can figure this out. I feel my internal battle is one I cannot win.”

“Quite the dilemma, I did not realize that the building of a wall could trouble a man so. But I am a Shepherd, who does not know the ways of a Builder.”

“Tell me, my friend, do you know the path upon which you will take your sheep each day?” The Builder asked.

“Hardly, the sheep are my guides, it is my job to keep them from danger. I allow them to graze and then usher them home. I know that we will head south and what troubles may find us, so I do my best to allow my flock to graze safely.” The Shepherd answered.

“If only my bricks would be so easy to rise into a wall, as your sheep are to graze.” The Builder stated somberly.

“Perhaps they are.”

“How so?” Asked the Builder.

“Every one of my sheep are different in both size and will. They will move in unison, though sometimes one may move in a way that endangers the flock.” The Shepherd then gazed to his flock. He pointed to a small sheep that seemed much further out on its own than the others. He then suddenly grabbed a horn at his side and blew it gently. A dog bounded from the back of the herd and proceeded to urge the straggler back into the greater flock. The dog then circled the flock and then disappeared amongst them.

My dog is much like your foreman who oversees your workers. It is his job to see that the workers are safe and the wall they build is sound. The very workers who build, dry and set your bricks into place according to your designs. The bricks are the sheep who become the flock of your wall. The bricklayers will see that after a few bricks have been laid, they only need follow the set path to complete your wall. This is at least my simple view of things, but again I am not a Builder, which is your profession my friend and I certainly would not tell you how to perform it in any way.” The Shepherd ended.

“It is strange that I did not see the simplicity of my craft until you stated it so.” The Builder noted.

“It is simple to make a mistake, and quite easy overthink a task. I must graze my flock, to feed and keep their health. So, you must make sound bricks and lay them into a greater wall to protect a King’s health.” The Shepherd then smiled, “For what does a King know about bricks, other than the wall they make.”

The Builder laughed heartily, “Yes I see the wisdom in your counsel, my friend, I will make the wall in my way and allow it to grow brick by brick. As you say…it will be good…enough even for a King.”

The Shepherd said goodbye to his friend the Builder and left to gather his flock, while the Builder left to gather his men…for he had a wall to build.