Tomorrow the contractor will arrive to begin installing our new siding. Because we are changing colors, the concrete foundation of our house will be painted to match the color of the siding. You may remember that the concrete in our foundation is shaped to look like bricks, complete with a rough texture or finish.
I spent the last couple of days removing several inches of soil next to the foundation to make sure the new paint will be applied below the soil line. And I used a stiff brush to wash away as much of the soil as possible so the concrete is clean and ready for painting.
This was too much like work to suit me. I felt like Tom Sawyer facing his tall board fence with a whitewash brush in hand. While washing the concrete wasn't punishment for me as was Tom's whitewashing chore, I dreaded my work as much as Tom did his. But no friends wandered by to jeer, only to trade various treasures for the opportunity to be one of the few Tom would trust to help whitewash the fence facing the street where everyone could see the results.
Tom learned a great truth, "that Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do." In gospel terms, we have the choice to act or to be acted upon. I could have left the foundation dirty and hoped the contractor would do a good job of preparation. However, now I know the foundation is ready to go. And if the foundation is firmly clean, whatever is put on it should stick and last.
1 comment:
Poopa, I'm always inspired by your hard work ethic. I'm grateful that you showed us what it meant to "do the job right the first time" and "not leave work for someone else to finish." I find that as I get older I become more and more like you, something I'm not at all unhappy about!
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