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.

The employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house. The carpenter said yes， but 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 known he was building his own house， he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the house 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 in 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.

譯文：

生活正如一項(xiàng)為自己打造的工程

一位上了年紀(jì)的木匠作好了退休的準(zhǔn)備。他告訴老板他準(zhǔn)備離開建筑行業(yè)，與老伴和兒孫們一起共享天倫之樂，過一種更悠閑自得的生活。

眼看這位優(yōu)秀的木工就要離去，老板很遺憾。他問木工可否幫忙再建一座房子。木工答應(yīng)了，可明眼人一眼就看得出來，此時(shí)他做事心不在焉，做出的活兒技藝粗糙，用的料也沒那么講究了。他就這樣為自己的建筑生涯劃上了句號(hào)，真是令人遺憾。

房子建好后，老板過來看新房并交給木工一把前門鑰匙，說：“這房子歸你了，我送給你的禮物。”

多么讓人吃驚，多么讓人羞愧?。〖偃缢涝跒樽约涸旆?，他會(huì)做得大不一樣?，F(xiàn)在他不得不住在自己建造的那座粗制濫造的房子里了。

我們又何嘗不是如此呢？我們心浮氣躁地打造生活，不是主動(dòng)工作而是被動(dòng)應(yīng)付，能省事就省事。關(guān)鍵的時(shí)候也沒盡心盡力。驀然回首，才瞠目結(jié)舌地發(fā)現(xiàn)自己正住在自己建造的那座房子中，自食苦果。早知如此，何必當(dāng)初。

假想你自己就是那位木工吧。就當(dāng)你為自己建房，每天要釘釘、鋪板、砌墻。那么，你就該用心地去建。你的生活只能這樣建造。哪怕你只在房子里多生活一天，這一天也應(yīng)該活得優(yōu)雅、有尊嚴(yán)。墻上的銘匾寫道：“生活正如一項(xiàng)為自己打造的工程?！边€有什么比這更清楚的呢？明日的生活之果，孕育于你今天的態(tài)度和抉擇之樹上。