字神帝國英語天地

☛An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisure life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week ,but he wanted to retire. They could get by.
有個老木匠準備退休，他告訴老闆，說要離開建造行業，回家與妻子兒女享受天倫之樂。雖然老闆給他的工資很高，可是，他更想享受退休生活。生活總能維持下去。
　　
☛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 over time it was easy to see that his heart was not materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
老闆很不捨得他的好工人離開，問他是否能幫忙再建一座房子。老木匠答應了。但是大家後來都看得出來，他的心已不在工作上，他使用的是次料，做工也很粗糙。這真是一種令人遺憾的結束自己全心全意所從事的事業的方式。
　　
☛When the carpenter finished his work ,his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house...my gift to you."
房子建好的時候，老闆前來視察，然後把大門的鑰匙遞給他，說道：“這是你的房子……是我送給你的禮物。”
☛The carpenter was shocked!
老木匠驚呆了!
☛What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
真是丟臉啊!如果他早知道是在給自己建房子，他一定不會這麼應付了事的。
　　
☛So it is with us .We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock; we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.
我們又何嘗不是這樣。我們漫不經心地“建造”自己的生活，不是積極行動，而是消極應付，凡事不肯精益求精，在關鍵時刻不能盡最大努力。等我們驚覺自己的處境，早已深困在自己建造的“房子”裡了。如果能夠重新來過，我們一定不會這麼做。
　　
☛But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and everyday you hammer a nail, place a board ,or erect a wall, Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project. "Your attitude and the choices you made today, help build the "house" you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, build wisely!
但是，你永遠也無法回到過去。你就是那個木匠，在建造“生活”這所房子，每天敲進去一顆釘，加上去一塊板，或者砌起一面牆。有人曾經說過：“生活就是一項DIY的工程”。你今天的態度與選擇決定了你明天會住在什麼樣的“房子”裡。因此，用你的智慧去建造你的"房子"吧!

文章來源：建好你自己的房子