From the 17th to the 24th of October this year, a merry gang of pipe makers gathered in my workshop: two established teachers, Mimmo Romeo and Karin, the “young and promising” Vincenzo Restivo, and myself.
Those intense days, both from a personal and professional point of view, led to the production of two pipes: we were able to finish one and the other was left under my future care.
Two of my pipes were improved with the help of everyone and they will be finished soon.
In gatherings like these, the most surprising thing is that the exchange of experiences is never one-way. There’s always a small tool or an ingenious variation on consolidated process methods that transforms the meeting from a simple information exchange, between the most talented and the newbies, into growth for everyone, admirals or sailors they may be.
It’s a wonderful life lesson that, in the world of pipe makers, seems to happen quite frequently. Why, I wonder? Perhaps dedicating time to something so unique and whose roots go so far back in time, can only be indicative of an “antique”, authentic, almost alien personality in a world increasingly focused on the concept of “the faster, the better”.
Is it possible that engaging in the construction of pipes stimulates generosity?
