When I grow up I want to be: Lithe and toned. Patient and ready to listen. Helpful. Quick to forgive. Knowledgeable in a handy sort of way. If my children and grand-children ask for my advice, I will know I have lived well.
There are a few men I remember from my childhood who hit nearly the mark I desire for myself. One was a Boy Scout troop leader, who could command more attention with a quiet word than other men receive for an outburst of angry bluster. He was the sort of man you wanted to please just because it felt so good when he smiled and patted you on the back. There were a couple of men who taught me about bicycle repair at an age when I didn’t own a single wrench. Tools, to me, were magic keys that could shape my world. It is why, to this day, the majority of my expenditures go towards tools. I own some tools that, at the time, seemed quite expensive to me. But here I am, still using them ten or fifteen years later, with a lifetime of use still ahead of me. Buy Quality and take care of your things.
Yesterday a man was backing a semi-trailer down my street. I walked over to ask whether he would like help backing onto the busy street that intersects mine. Helping came so naturally and the deed was so simple. I felt in-tune with my surroundings. Lord, help me to cultivate an awareness of Correct Action.