Dear Editor,
Dear Windham Eagle readers. The following story is about
a carpenter, but it could be a story of many walks of life, never the less it
is an eye opener.
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his
employer of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more
leisurely life with his wife and 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 would build 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, his
employer handed the front door key to the carpenter.
“This is your house,” he said. “My gift to you for the
many years of faithful service!”
What a shock! What a shame! If he had known he was
building his own house, he would have done it so differently. Now he had to
live in the house 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 with less than the best. At
important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we
find that we are now living in the house we 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 make a wall, build wisely.
It is the only life you will build. Even if you live it for only one more day,
that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. Your life today is
the result of your choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result
of the choice you make today.
Submitted by,
Fred Collins
Portland
