Myrtle Beach Sand Sculpture (May 15, 2010)
This sand sculpture was created for television’s “The Early Show” and the live shot held on Friday morning (we opted not to go, despite the fact that Dave Price also graduated Cornell). It was neatly cordoned off (and protected by a police officer) and clearly a showpiece for the grand opening of the boardwalk. I was impressed not only with the sculpture, but with the respect people showed and the ease of stepping in to get a picture.
But the beauty of the sculpture came on the walk down the boardwalk.
My son and I lead the way, and talked the entire walk. Eventually, the topic turned back to the sculpture and we discussed the sand, the process of creating it and how much time and effort it took. One of the things important to our family is to celebrate a job well done (which includes roadwork, paving driveways and other tasks sometimes overlooked). My son asked me how long the sculpture would last and I replied that I suspected it would be destroyed by the following day.
“By the people who made it?” my son asked. I went on to explain that when the crowd left, and police went home, some kids would probably smash it. It wasn’t about being negative, but calling it based on experience. His response, however, was priceless.
He launched into an animated statement about how much effort was put into the creation and why it should be celebrated and not destroyed by someone who doesn’t appreciate it. I don’t recall his exact words, but I recall thinking to myself that he really understands. He gets the concept of working hard and doing the right thing.
Talk about teachable moment… for us both. We went on with a discussion that lasted a few minutes about right from wrong, working hard, protecting creations and the ability to embrace creating with the understanding it may not be appreciated and might be destroyed. I’m not sure how much of the deeper meaning he got, but it was a good lesson for me.
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