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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. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
一位年邁的木匠準備退休了。他告訴他的老板準備離開建筑業的打算，他說他想和他的妻子過一種更休閑的生活，享受天倫之樂。他還說他會懷念這里的薪水的，但必須退休了，他的離職他們慢慢就會適應。
The contrctor 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 haert was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.
老板對他的這位優秀員工的離去感到非常遺憾，于是問他是否可以蓋最后一棟房子作為私下里的幫忙。這位木匠答應了，但顯而易見他做事的時候是心不在焉的。他的手工做得毛毛糙糙，用的材料也是次品。
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."
這樣結束他的事業是不不幸的，當木匠最后完工，老板來看房子時，他把前門的鑰匙交給木匠說：“這是你的房子，是我送給你的禮物?！?/P>
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 hs had built none too well.
震驚！羞愧！如果他早知道他是在蓋自己的房子，他肯定會做得截然不同的，現在他不得不住在自己建的糟糕透頂的房子里面。
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would done it differently.
這個道理同樣適合我們。在營造生活時，我們的精力被分散到太多的地方，我們只是被動地適應而不會主動行動，而我們自己也不愿意去盡心盡力地營造我們的生活。在重要的時刻我們也沒能盡自己最大的努力做好工作。仁厚我們吃驚地看到自己做的一切：發現自己處在自己建造的房子里。如果我們早意識到這一點的話，我們的做法就會完全不同。
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.
把你自己當成那個木匠。想想你的房子。每天你都會釘個釘子，放塊模板或砌一面墻。明智地建造你的房子。
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 dinity.
這是你唯一可以營造的生活。即使你只可以再活一天，你也要活得優雅、有尊嚴。
The plaque on the wall says, "Life ia a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
墻上的匾寫著：“生活就是一個自己動手工程。”誰能比這個說得更明白？你今天的生活就是你過去的生活態度和所作選擇的結果。你明天的生活就是你今天的生活和所作選擇的結果。
