A matter of balance (another rock on the pile)

Having the privilege to live now very close to English Bay I took advantage of the August sunny weather to enjoy walks, fresh air and a magnificent view.

It’s been during my walks I first noticed something I had never heard of: bounces of stones in a sort of precarious balance.

At a closer sight the mystery was unveiled: nature has an artistic side, but in this case the patience of man was behind that little work of art.

You can actually spot people who, mindless of the warmth and the sun, with infinite patience put stones upon stones, one on top of one other, building a sort of tower, a pile at a time resistant and fragile, simple and beautiful.

They do it with no hurry, with care, having as “ingredients” only hands, patience, creativity and of course rocks. No glue at all is used. They just live a sign beside the sidewalk asking for a contribution.

Willing to know more I found out this art is called rock balancing and is practiced in several countries, therefore not being an exclusive of Vancouver.

It’s impressive how people can use even simple things to make something creative, but what I mostly like is to see people walking by just standing and admiring the performance, or maybe taking pictures.

A silent sign of approval, when I’m sure in Italy the idiot on call would try to make fall the pile down.

Someone could say they’re just bounces of stones, but I’d say you can find art in Vancouver as well, not in the shape of a medieval castle but in a tiny thing like a stone pile, a rocky hymn to perseverance.

Something where the balance is everything: balance for the stability of the structure, but also balance between the challenge to something as natural as the gravity and the respect for the beauty of the landscape doing something non-intrusive.

I feel a little bit like those stones: I know I can be strong, fighting for what I want to achieve, but the balance is always shivering and could get broken at any time, as anything here is still so temporary to me.

A part-time job I am about to start after a short period of unemployment is only another rock on the pile; I would really need some glue to make it if not artistic, at least stable.