A few years ago, my family visited the city of Delft, outside Amsterdam. That is the center of fine Delft pottery with its trademark blue and white pattern. We took the tour of the ceramic factory there. We were gathered into a room where a woman gave us a demonstration on the potting wheel. She took a lump of clay and started the wheel spinning. She began working the clay with her hands and as if by magic, it began to take one form after another as she talked. First it was a low round bowl, then a tall slender rose vase, then a Grecian urn then a lump again, and back into another bowl. It was incredible. It seemed there was some magical life in the clay itself, but of course it was the skillful hands of a master potter at work.