Every Brick Matters
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.
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 finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house… my gift to you.
We often forget that every decision we make and every action we take is a brick in the structure we call our own life. By giving less than our best, we condemn ourselves to future discomfort in the "home" we built with our own hands. If we were given the chance to start over, we would surely choose the finest materials and the highest care. However, life offers no do-overs — only the present. It is wise to build as if every choice is one we will have to live with for years to come, leaving no room for future regret.
"Quality is not an act, it is a habit." - Aristotle
