A story of a Carpenter

A story of a Carpenter, keep”handmade” in mind.

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. He used cheap drill bits instead of ones with black oxide finishes, it made the drilling process messy. The wood he used to build the walls were very prone to breaking and termite infestation. Even the concrete was not strong. 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 distracted 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, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter, your handmade art . Think about your house, your reputation. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. You build with your own hands, build wisely. It is the only art and life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously, with dignity and Honesty.

Contributed by Monika of Myeuropeantouch

Tags: buy handmade, Handmade, Handmade Artists, handmade woodworking, quality handmade, sell handmade