The Carpenter
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his
employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building
business and live a more leisurely life with his wife
enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck,
but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and ask
if he could build just one more house as a personal favor.
The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that
his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy
workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an
unfortunate way to end his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to
inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key
to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to
you."
What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was
building this own house, he would have done it all so
differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built
none too well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way,
reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the
best. At important points we do not give the job our best
effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have
created and find that we are now living in the house we have
built. If we had realized that we would have done it
differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house.
Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall.
Build wisely.
It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it
for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived
graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says,
"Life is a do-it-yourself project.
Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result
of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life
tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the
choices you make today.
Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in
this story please authenticate and I will be happy to
credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.
Thanks to Tim Cove