A burden can be a duty or a misfortune, a hardship or a nuisance. The burden of a ship refers to the maximum load it can carry and it is a synonym for the theme of a novel and the chorus of a song.

In Zen philosophy, when you are fully present, you may find that your labor is no longer a burden. “Wood is chopped. Water is carried”.

My wife and I bought a beautiful Japanese antique wooden bucket on our honeymoon. The day we returned home with the bucket, my only brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. Today that bucket over-flows with the joy of our marriage and helps carry the burden of my loss.

Being good at making things is a blessing and a curse. Can’t afford one? Make one! Making this work, I was forced to confront some of the physical damage this kind of effort has caused over the years. I think this has something to do with the addition of the yoke-like elements in Burden. They call it art work for a reason.