Pearls of Wisdom

Boy Scout has been hired by his internship. This is exactly what he wanted. The man he works for, Masa, is an aging master Gardner from Japan. He has designed some of the most beautiful Japanese gardens in the Pacific Northwest. He maintains his own designs, which is part of the agreement when he chooses his jobs. He interviews potential clients. No one just hires him. Masa has been purposeful about passing on what he knows to the people he has gathered around him. They are long time employees or students, for lack of a better word. He shares with them and then he starts to allow them to branch out. He hand picks clients for them that they are capable of handling and he checks up, making sure the clients are happy. He is humble and caring.

Boy Scout has been handed some side jobs that Masa knows he can do. Yesterday, while speaking with the client, she noticed Boy Scout’s tattoos and asked about them. The first is easy, 8 & 80, which reminds him there are only two people he needs to impress, his 8 year old self and his 80 year old self. The second is Timshel.  I may have spoken about it before but it is a Hebrew word and is woven into Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden. The idea is that this Hebrew word has been mistranslated in the King James and subsequent versions of the Bible. Where they insist “thou shalt” or “you shall not”, timshel suggests “thou mayest”. It’s a choice, not an order. The difference between fearful, blind obedience and choosing one’s own path.

The client’s response to Boy Scouts explanation, “A Gardner that’s literate, that’s refreshing”.

Masa has designed and is in charge of the Japanese garden within the Nike headquarters campus. His whole team was working the job the other day and a Nike employee, jogging past the team, overhears their conversation about a book they had in common. The jogger also makes a comment about gardeners and literacy. Little do they know that one of those men standing before them lives in a gorgeous 4,000 sq ft home, on a large piece of property, and very likely doesn’t owe one dime on any of it. Regardless of education, he is savvy, intuitive and wise.

Boy Scout thinks it’s funny. I find it somewhat condescending and judgmental. Either way, he’s found a spot for himself with gentleman gardeners, clients who love Japanese gardens and a tiny, humble man who wants to share his wisdom and knowledge with another generation.