I've always had a strange longing to work as a stonemason. There's just something intriguing about working a profession that's been around and remained largely unchanged for thousands of years. Stonemasons have one of those select few jobs that have withstood the test of time. Having fashioned the ancient pyramids of Egypt or the Colosseum in Rome, stonemasons have one of those jobs that fills the mind with wonder.

It has always been an aspiration of mine to one day build my own home. Being somewhat enthralled with old-fashioned things, I've fostered the idea of hiring a stonemason to teach me how to build structures out of stone. I was surprised to find that very few buildings are built with stones as the supporting element in our modern day and age. Most stone structures don't meet with code for earthquake safety and other things, and so are only used as decorations on buildings. It's odd to walk up to a beautiful building, such as a courthouse, its marble shimmering in the early morning, and know that the outer stonework is only a thin layer covering a network of concrete and metal beams. But the modern age of skyscrapers has completely reinvented the ancient methods of stone-masonry.

Nowadays, a stonemason's work is relegated mostly to the outer landscaping of a home. Forming walls and walkways, stonemasons rarely are called to fashion actual buildings anymore. Most structures are made with cheaper materials, drywall and two by fours. The days of stone buildings are almost over. Though stonemasons often work with some of the sturdiest materials, much of what they do is mere facade, adding outer finishing stones to the inner foundation of whatever is being built. In the old days, stones were often the foundation of structures being erected. Now, in order to preserve that old fashioned feel, other materials are used for support, and stones are added on for effect. It's odd how things have changed in that way.

Brickmasons, however, still have an active role in the construction of buildings, and can often be seen inlaying intricate designs into the sides of giant structures. Brick buildings are some of the most beautiful modern structures being erected. One would have expected that brick buildings would go the same path of stone-masonry. But in fact, many bricks are still a very viable supporting element for brand new buildings. The cost difference in the materials must play a key role.

Though my newfound information on the work of stonemasons has shown me that I most likely will never get to build my old-fashioned stone home, I've developed an even larger respect for the trade, which has evolved completely in our modern era to facilitate the demands of an ever changing world.