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 enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The employer 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 his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the employer came to inspect the house and 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. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Who could say it more clearly? Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
【助读词汇】
-carpenter n. 木工，木匠
-shoddy adj. 劣等的，假冒的
-inferior adj. 下等的，差的，下级的
-inspect v. 检查，检阅，审查，视察
-plaque n. 匾，名牌，饰板
【参考译文】
一位上了年纪的木匠打算退休。他告诉雇主自己要离开建筑行业，和妻子以及其他众多家庭成员过更休闲的生活。他会想念这里的工资，但是他还是得退休。他们过得下去。
看到自己最得力的木匠要走雇主很遗憾。他问是否能再多建一座房子，算是帮个忙。木匠答应了，但是不用多久就能看出他的心已经不在工作上了。他建的马马虎虎，用得是劣质的建材。以这种方式来告别他的职业生涯真是不幸。
木匠完工后，雇主过来查看房子，并把前门的钥匙给了木匠。“这是你的房子了，”他说，“我送给你的礼物。”
木匠又震惊又羞愧。如果他早知道是给自己建房子，他就不会这样建了。现在他得在自己建造过最差的房子里生活。
这也是发生在我们身上的事。建设自己的生活的时候，我们三心二意，不主动出击反而处处被动，不愿意竭尽全力，只得过且过。在最关键的时候我们不全力以赴。然后惊讶地看到自己一手造成的局面，发现自己生活在自己建造的房子里。如果我们早醒悟过来，我们就不会那样做了。
设想你就是那位木匠。想想你的房子。每天你明智地挥锤钉钉子，搭木板，塑墙。这是你能建设的唯一一次人生。即使这种生活你只能再过一天，你也应该怀着感恩的心，有尊严地度过这天。墙上的匾上写着：“生活是你自己动手建造的工程。”谁还能把这道理说得更清楚？今天你的态度和选择决定你明天的生活。
【人生启迪】
海尔集团的说过一句很有名的话：“什么叫做不容易，把每件容易的事都做好就叫不容易；什么叫做不简单，把每件简单的事都做好就叫做不简单。”生活中没有哪些事是可以不那么用心的。你现在做的每一件事都是将来的铺垫。成功就建造在每天的努力之上。只有事事认真，时时认真的人才能赢得成功。