WOODLAWN, Tenn. (WTVF) — If you have a high-stress job, you know you need some sort of outlet for your own well-being. That's exactly what a Middle Tennessee man had in mind as he started up a new program on his property.
On Saturday morning, the class was in session in Woodlawn. The sound of hammering resonated from a little red building in the country owned by Robin Duane.
"Walking around on the property as new owners, I came up with a pretty crazy idea and behind me is that pretty crazy idea," Robin said.
A crew of people all practiced blacksmithing. There's something in common among all the students at Healing Flames Forge.
"Our primary audience is veterans, first responders, active duty, and front-line workers," Robin said. "We are teaching them to use the equipment that a blacksmith would use.
It's people like David Jones.
"I'm a Gulf War vet," David said. "I was in the Army for years, truck driver for years."
"Especially with veterans, we have a high rate of PTSD," Robin continued. "It gives them a place to relieve some stress."
"We're hitting metal long enough to feel better," David said. "That's what it is. You hit hot metal long enough to feel better. It's great. I love it."
"I'm retired Army," Robin said. "I spent almost 32 years in the Army, spent most of it in Special Operations. It works for me, and I thought if it works for me, maybe it'll work for some other people."
There is an urgency to relieve stress for someone like David, living with a heart implant.
"I have a pacemaker defibrillator," he said. "Without relieving the stress, you're putting the stress on your heart — bottom line. Anything I can do to make my heart work better, makes me live another day."
The way this is set up, you create anything working at your own pace. What Robin loves is to see someone's realization of what they can create.
"You can hear the conversation going on behind me," Robin said, referring to the friendships being formed.
"The stories are great, I'll tell you that," smiled David. "There's some really good stories in here. Everyone's so young in here now, I swear! When you're old and decrepit, you don't get out to meet people very much, so this is a great way to meet people!"
What David's come to realize is this is work where it's less about the destination than it's about the journey.
"Ya get people in here that had the same stresses that you had," David said. "Any kind of frustration, anything you got, you get out of it. By the time I get here, I feel better."
"They're relieving pent-up, frustrated energy, and at some point they realize, I'm making something here, and this is pretty cool," said Robin.
If you know someone who'd be interested in taking part in Healing Flames Forge, visit here.
