A construction teacher already entered in years was ready to retire to enjoy his pension of retirement. He told his boss about his plans to leave work to lead a more pleasurable life with his wife and family. He was going to miss his monthly salary, but he needed to retire; they would manage in some way.
The boss realized that it was inevitable that his good employee left the company and asked him, as a personal favor, to make the last effort: to build one more house. The man agreed and began his work, but it was clear that he was not putting his heart in what he was doing. He used materials of inferior quality, and his work, as well as that of his assistants, was deficient. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.
When the mason finished the job, the head of the kitchen inspected the house and extended the keys to the front door.
"This is your home, my dear friend," —he said— "It is a gift for you".
If the bricklayer had known he was building his own house, it would have made it totally different. Now he would have to live in the imperfect house he had built!
We build our lives in an absent-minded way, reacting when we should act, and not putting the best of ourselves in that performance. Many times, we do not even do our best at work. Then suddenly we see the situation we have created and discover that we are living in the house we have built. If we had known earlier, we would have done differently.
The bottom line is that we should think as if we were building our house. Every day we nail a nail, lift a wall or build a roof.
"Building with wisdom is the only rule that we can reinforce in our existence".
Even if we live only for a day, that day deserves to be lived with grace and dignity. Life is like a do-it-yourself project. His life, now, is the result of his attitudes and choices of the past.
Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and choices today!
Source:
Jaime Lopera & Marta Bernal
2012 - 2017
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