Three Stories for Developers
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 a dedicated career.
When the carpenter had finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."
The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If only he had known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently.
You are a carpenter. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board or erect a wall. Your attitudes and the choices you make today build the "house" you live in tomorrow. Build wisely!
One day a little boy tried to lift a heavy stone, but he couldn't budge it.
His father, watching, finally said: "Are you sure you're using all your strength?"
"Yes, I am," the boy cried, struggling with the stone.
"No, you're not," said his father. "You haven't asked me to help you."
A little wave, bobbing along in the ocean, is having a grand old time. He's enjoying the wind and the fresh air - until he notices the other waves in front of him, crashing against the shore.
"My God, this is terrible," the wave says. "Look what's going to happen to me!"
Then along comes another wave. It sees the first wave, looking grim, and it says to him, "Why do you look so sad?"
The first wave says, "You don't understand! We're all going to crash! All of us waves are going to be nothing! Isn't that terrible?"
The second wave says, "No, you don't understand. You're not a wave, you're part of the ocean."
(with thanks to Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie, Doubleday, 1997)
Whether we are learning about raising cattle, using meteorology, growing useful trees, preserving food or teaching science to children (see this issue of Shalom Magazine), it's good to remember we are "building" our own homes, together, and that we are part of a larger "work."
Your Editor
Ms. Joan Hooper