The uncarved block

The joy of making guitars by hand is to cut, carve, shape, and join a few small planks of wood until  something beautiful and melodic is produced. It's a labor of love that requires many hours of careful and patient work. The uncarved block of wood can be turned into any shape, depending on the maker's desire and skill. Wood is soft. Tools are hard. Thoughtless use of sharp metal can be devastating. Initial marks with a chisel, spokeshave, or rasp are intimidating. Minor mistakes can be corrected. Major mistakes might mean starting again. Much care is needed. Slow and steady wins the day over a rush to the finish line.
As in guitar building, so in life. Each human life is an uncarved block with a potential for great beauty and purpose. Each life, too, has potential to become a train wreck. Much care is needed with ourselves and with others. It's easy to chisel away the wood. It's much harder to add it back.
The uncarved block is a prominent trope in Daoism. In the Daodejing 28 the sage says, "The world is formed from the void like utensils from a block of wood. The Master knows the utensils, yet keeps to the block: thus she can use all things." The uncarved block, Pu, suggests simplicity and potential. The uncarved block has untold possibilities. The wood can become anything that wood can possibly become. The thought seems to be "in the midst of complexity return to simplicity—return to the origin, return to the fundamental nature." 
Returning to the origin is a strong theme in spirituality. Come back to the beginning. Take on again the beginner's mind. Strip away the accruals of life. Such is a winsome idea. If we could just start again! Get me back to the uncarved block!
In some respects, this is a Lenten theme. Self-denial, self-examination, reflection are all calls to return to the origin. To embrace the attitude of a beginner again is healthy. It saves us from arrogance, pride and superiority. All to the good!
But I return to my guitar making. The blocks of Spanish cedar, myrtle, spruce, rosewood and ebony—unconnected, plain, simple, but with potential. The finished guitar, integrated  carved, beautiful in looks and sound, the wood completed in the musical instrument, its potential achieved. Must we choose the uncarved block or the finished instrument? Potential or fulfillmentt? The safety of simplicity or the risk of the chisel?
I'll give it some thought.
+Ab. Andy