Many of my favorite holiday memories center around a simple, wood-burning fireplace. From playing Texas Hold ‘em to having late-night conversations, the fireplace provided my family an atmosphere of rest amid the frantic bustling of the holiday season. Every winter, we purchase a cord or two of wood, and my brothers, my dad, and I head out into the cold to help a burly stranger unload the freshly chopped wood.
Chopping wood is a virtuous art lost to the facade of progress offered by modernity. When people want a fire, they want a fire. Not another chore. Buying wood from Walmart or getting a gas-burning fireplace seems to be much more economical. Unfortunately, this poor understanding of economics has deprived many of us of an experience that enriches both the body and the soul.
Despite what you may hear in your intro econ classes, profit is not the driving factor of economics. Economics comes from the Greek oikonomia, which translates as the law (nomos) of the household (oikos). Law is always ordered toward a good and the good of economics is the household. In his “Politics,” Aristotle argues that economics exists for the development of human excellence, or virtue, in the household. Mundane tasks build up the family. Doing the dishes, folding laundry, and even chopping wood instill virtue into people.
The virtue of chopping wood is beneficial for both the body and the soul. It is incredibly difficult: lifting a heavy ax and swinging it repeatedly is not a task suited for the weak. But doing it builds your strength and tests your resolve.
While the body encounters difficulty, the soul is refreshed. Chopping wood allows you to experience God’s creation in a very intimate way. Many people have forgotten the beauty of creation, succumbing to the dementia of the soul that endless hours of social media can provide. Yet, we are created to be in creation and also to interact with it. Chopping wood challenges you remember who you were created to be.
The fruit of your sore body and refreshed soul is a pile of chopped wood. This tangible accomplishment will be used to bring warmth, comfort, and rest to others. Because of your work, maybe even some favorite holiday memories will be made.
This winter, you can choose to be economical with your time and just buy wood. But if you are looking for an activity that will form you in the excellence of body and soul, try chopping your own.
