Article January 23, 1984 Issue

Parable

JOHN LINDSAY RENNIE

Years ago, as a husky lad in my teens, I was given the job of breaking a large granite boulder into pieces suitable for lining a driveway. I pounded away for about an hour with a heavy sledgehammer but accomplished little more than making a few chips fly. I had been given the proper tools (a light hammer and a small star drill) but had laid aside these small implements as too insignificant to tackle such a large boulder. I fully believed that might and muscle were required to do the job, and I was confident that I had enough of both—so why was I unable to break off even one piece of usable size?

After tiring myself out with the big hammer, I paused to rest, and noticed that a man had been watching my struggles. He came over and politely asked if I would mind if he gave me some advice.

I agreed—somewhat skeptically. He explained that one had to look for the grain. I knew all about the grain in wood, but nothing about finding the grain in a piece of granite. His experienced eye found it easily. Taking up the light hammer and the small star drill, he drilled a few holes along the grain. He then showed me where to strike, and there was separation immediately. So, might and muscle were not necessarily required to bring a seemingly difficult project to conclusion. I had had the right tools with me all the time, but I did not have the knowledge or the experience to use them.

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