THE SCULPTOR
THE SCULPTOR TILMAN'S INCREDIBLE AND MYSTICAL JOURNEY IN PURSUIT OF LOVE, DESTINY AND GOD'S GRACE
Dear Reader,
Today’s Love Letter features the First Chapter of my new book, “THE SCULPTOR”
"The Sculptor" is a mesmerizing novel set in medieval Germany. It follows the story of Tilman, a sculptor who embarks on a mystical yet brutal journey to create the most beautiful Madonna.
As Tilman progresses on his journey, he endures suffering, shows unwavering devotion, and seeks redemption, ultimately leading him to artistic and spiritual deliverance. As you follow Tilman's path, you will be immersed in a world where the journey is toward divinity and love.
Witness Tilman's transformative tale as he triumphs over suffering and is illuminated by divine light. His story is about human beings' search for meaning in life, demonstrating that God may sometimes mislead us, but he never misguides us.
"The Sculptor" is a revelation of how to find one's destiny in the abyss of life. It is an inspiring tale that resonates with the sacred in us, strengthening our faith for spiritual awakening.
He carved a path to God with a sculptor's hands, whispering, "In each stroke, I find not just form, but the spirit dwelling within. To carve is to commune; in the grain of wood, I discover the divine tapestry."
FIRST CHAPTER
Reaching into the Invisible World
This is love to turn a longing into stillness, become a falcon instead of the dove, nurture the earth so a rose can appear, and give oneself away to find more of somebody else
* * *
Tilman arrived at dusk at the Virgin Mary's small, crumbling stone altar. An enormous oak tree had grown just beside it. He swept the ground with his hands and used his knapsack as a pillow. Tired from the long, sun-drenched walk, he fell into a deep slumber. His dreams always had the same images: The Virgin Mary would tenderly touch his withered face of old age and hum gently the heavenly little tune his mother used to sing to him, smiling at him.
For Tilman, his dreams were his most precious possessions. Ever since he was a small boy, he deeply loved the Virgin and knew she guided him on his path, giving him strength and confidence. His dreams and inner clarity were almost all he possessed besides the little knapsack containing his thin blanket, a small pot, a knife, and a little wooden horse his father had made for his seventh birthday.
When he awoke, it was still dark, and the sky was a magnificent canvas of opulence with stars so bright that they filled him with joy. As it was his custom in the morning, he knelt and recited a short prayer, thanking God for the beauty of his life. He was content with his simple life and found serenity in it. A tune appeared in his heart, and he hummed it to praise his love for the world and all its creatures. The boy had come a long way since he was born in the small village known as Eichenwald, hidden in a small valley in the Black Forest, owned by Bishop Friedrich in his faraway residence of Überlingen.
Tilman was his given name, and the memories of his mother and father, as well as his younger sister Hildegard, often filled him with sadness and pain. His mother passed away while giving birth to Hildegard when Tilman was three years old. Tilman's father, Gunter, was a kind and gentle man with large hands who loved his children deeply. He tried his best to replace their mother's love with his own care and strong belief in the importance of devotion in life.
Gunter instilled in Tilman and Hildegard the belief that they could achieve anything they desired as long as they had faith in their hearts. He also taught them that fear was the only obstacle that could keep them from their true calling. "The world should not be divided harshly," he would say. "Nothing is better than anything else. Two pigs are not better to have than one, and a bigger hut is not better than a small one. They are different, and their importance is only if God lives in it with you."
Tilman's childhood with Hildegard was happy, filled with the joy of children's laughter and the comforting presence of their mother, who, even from heaven, blessed their daily lives with her love.
* * *
Gunter was a skilled woodcutter who often took his young son into the forest to find the best wood for creating figures of saints or toys. Once, they even searched for the perfect lime wood trunk to make an altar for the modest church of St. Jakob in Eichenwald. Gunter taught Tilman that God lives in all simple things. Gunter's care and focus on his creations inspired Tilman to develop his heavenly beauty. Tilman's spirit was joyful and showed the gift of abundance that God had bestowed on him. He was a flash of color in a grey world, a fountain in the desert, and a cool breeze in the hot sun.
Everybody who knew Tilman saw him steadily change inside to a rose growing to perfection in a splendid garden. With his whole life, he drew closer to God.
So often, his heart seemed to crack at seeing human shapes in the clouds. His sensitivity to all and everybody made people smile. He felt the bark of trees and sensed their quiet, pulsating life. Different stones had distinct temperatures and structures, and the sight of a meadow in full bloom evoked heavenly beauty in him. He longed to be alone, and there was a thirst in his eyes that nothing in the ordinary world could ever quench.
* * *
When his father created the altarpiece of Jesus and the Apostles at the Last Supper for their small church, Tilman spent time with Father Karl, the priest of St Jakob. Father Karl taught Tilman to read and write while Gunter worked on the pews, the crucifix, and other small devotional statues for the church.
The priest, who had dedicated his life to serving God, instilled in Tilman a pure sense of happiness as righteous food that pleases God. Father Karl always told him, "God wants people to find their destiny to harvest their happiness. But this task is difficult because people reap unhappiness, defeat, and desperation more often. And so, the world bleeds wars, hunger, and disease instead of the bliss it longs for".
Tilman learned from his beloved priest that people can consistently achieve their dreams but never realize it. He also learned that this power is available to anyone, even an old man, who can still change his life and bid farewell to his unhappy doings.
The priest and Gunter used to sit together in the evening after their daily work was done under the willow tree behind the church. They would talk about the world and their lives. Tilman remembered a particular evening when Father Karl spoke about his father's work and latest masterpiece in a revealing way: "Language is meant to build bridges. Yet, more often, it divides, caught in concepts and abstractions. But art, real art, will always unite. It blows to pieces any division with its purity and mystical assurance. Before true art, every spectator becomes the art himself, forcing him to see his existence".
After some silence, Father Karl continued: "God has nothing hidden from us. We need to open our eyes and hearts to recognize His doings. When we occasionally lose God, we need to look for him where we have held Him. There, He still waits for us to retrieve Him again".
* * *
One evening, Father Karl lectured on the divine and the human. He said: "We need to inhibit the space where words do not reach and then speak the language of our heart. With this, we can bridge the gap between the human and the divine by trusting in the unspeakable beauty of the moment and knowing that God is by our side. Man sets himself free by realizing that we contain the seed of God through divine grace. Outward service is the door through which man reaches his truth".
Seeing his father's daily work on the altarpiece, which would become a beacon of splendor attracting people from afar to see it, installed in Tilman the deep wish to create a similar work as a sign of his love and devotion to the Virgin Mary, who visited him at night in his dreams.
But now - these beautiful memories were more trifling reminders of an existence that had perished in the brutality of a power that destroyed everything he had loved and cherished.
Life had completely changed for him. He was alone in this world; all the beautiful experiences of his life in Eichenwald were lost. Tragedy had wiped out the little village and, with it, his father and sister.
You can purchase “The Sculptor” on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW1DQCR8