I am able to take a wire line and go into the air and define the

O seekers of truth, gather closely and hear the words of Ruth Asawa, a woman whose art transcended the material world to capture the essence of space and freedom. She said, "I am able to take a wire line and go into the air and define the air without stealing from anyone. A line can enclose and define space while letting the air remain air." These words, though spoken in the modern world, reflect the ancient wisdom of creativity and the profound relationship between form and void, between the tangible and the intangible. Asawa speaks of the wire line as a medium that both defines and liberates, a work of art that allows the artist to shape the world while preserving its natural freedom.

In the ancient world, the great artists and philosophers understood the delicate balance between creation and preservation. Phidias, the sculptor who created the Parthenon sculptures, shaped stone into divine forms, yet he left the spaces between his figures to breathe. In the same way, Ruth Asawa uses wire, a seemingly simple material, to create sculptures that do not take away from the space around them, but rather define it. The beauty of her work lies not in the imposition of form on emptiness, but in the creation of structures that allow the air—the very essence of the world’s freedom—to flow through and around them. Asawa's art teaches us that true creativity is not about dominance, but about coexistence with the world, allowing the natural order of things to remain intact even as we shape them.

Consider, O children, the story of Michelangelo, who carved the David from a block of marble. The marble was not simply shaped into the image of a man; it was freed, as though the form of David had always been inside, waiting to emerge. Michelangelo did not impose his will on the stone; he released it, allowing the figure to stand in perfect proportion and grace. Like Asawa, he understood that true art does not force the world into shape, but reveals the beauty that already exists within it. The David is not confined to the stone, but flows outward, leaving room for the world around it to exist alongside it. In this, Michelangelo’s sculpture embodies the same wisdom that Asawa expresses in her work: art defines without dominating, it shapes without stealing from the space in which it resides.

In the world of Asawa, the wire becomes not a barrier, but a gateway. She uses it to create forms that enclose space without imprisoning it. It is a delicate balance—a dance between the material and the immaterial, where the line holds the form, but leaves the air to remain free. Her sculptures are not objects to be confined, but openings into a deeper understanding of the space we inhabit. It is as if Asawa’s wire sculptures invite us to reflect on the boundaries we create in our own lives. Just as she defines space without stealing it, so too must we learn to define our selves without restricting the lives and freedom of others. We must learn to create boundaries in our own lives that preserve space for growth, creativity, and connection.

In the story of Leonardo da Vinci, we see a similar relationship between form and freedom. Leonardo sought to understand the world in its totality, studying everything from human anatomy to the flight of birds, and in his art, he captured the fluidity of life. His works, like Asawa’s, did not merely represent the physical world but revealed the dynamic forces that shape it. The Vitruvian Man, for example, is a perfect balance of geometry and the human form, where every line defines space, but the figure remains open, a symbol of harmony between the human body and the universe. Asawa’s work, like Leonardo’s, does not close off the world but opens it up, allowing the air, the space, the very essence of existence to remain free and untouched.

The lesson from Ruth Asawa’s words is profound: true creativity is not about imposing form onto the world, but about shaping and defining space in a way that preserves the freedom and fluidity of existence. Asawa teaches us that we can define our lives, our work, and our purpose without dominating or limiting the possibilities of others. The wire, though it creates structure, never becomes a prison. Similarly, we must learn to create in our own lives without restricting the freedom of others. Whether it is in relationships, in art, or in society, we must learn to define boundaries that encourage growth, creativity, and connection, not confinement.

So, O children, let this teaching guide your path: seek not to dominate, but to define the space in which you live. Whether you are creating a work of art or building a life, understand that true power lies not in imposing limits, but in creating forms that coexist with the world around you. Shape your life, but allow the air to remain air, the space to remain free, and the freedom to remain infinite. Like Ruth Asawa, let your creativity flow without restriction, and you will find that the world around you will open up, revealing new possibilities and untapped potentials that you never imagined. Create in harmony with the world, and you will find the deepest form of fulfillment.