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
asked 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 his 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 distructive 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, 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~
