Build This House With Me
LIFEFEATURED
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I was blessed to grow up with a single mom. Looking back I realize now we didn't have much, but she never let on. Instead she projected how wonderful were the opportunities around us, and how lucky we were to be up and doing. For $1500 she bought what was left of a burned out property--she saw it as a chance to create a dream home! Some blessing! I was going to have to work! And so at age 11 I was digging, weeding, wiring, and complaining. "Mom, I don't know how to replace broken windows!" "Well, figure it out. Winter's coming and that's going to be your room. While you're at it, see if you can't find some happiness in what you're creating."
The windows task gave me an early resentment of those who like to break windows, people who throw stones for fun. There's a lot of those brats runningaround the country right now. They've mastered the art of negativity and dissembling, criticizing and demeaning. They run their mouths a lot but contribute nothing. Non builders, they only know how to destroy. And have you noticed, they never look happy?
A favorite movie of mine is Life As a House, starring Kevin Kline with a beautiful score by Mark Isham. Watch it anytime you need a lift, like maybe now when the country seems so troubled. The metaphor: rebuilding relationships is like rehabbing a house. If you don't like what you have, don't complain about it. Do the work. Remove some things, get a plan, connect the pieces, polish and paint. Whistle while you work. At the end you'll have built something beautiful, and found some meaning for your life.
Someone wise once observed, a house divided against itself cannot stand.Another said, build on a firm foundation. The country could use some builders right now. Those who sense there's a wonderful future to be had are putting on their work gloves. Consider this your invitation to join in. And let's start by valuing those around us. As for the negative yapping, let's put a sock in it.
Life as a House // Life as a House // Life as a House // Life as a House // "Do I still love you?" "Do I still love you?" "Do I still love you?" "Do I still love you?"
MonkeyBusinnesss
Stone throwers never get it. When all the windows are in, the view to the outside is beautiful.