When I was a boy I wanted to be an Eagle Scout, because both of my mother’s brothers were Eagle Scouts. Wanting to follow in the footsteps of men I revered in my youth also lead me to go to college, but I never saw being a carpenter’s apprentice under my uncle Norman in that vein until recently. Now I can see that I was, and still am, envious of his freedom in working, level of fitness, and mastery of craft. My uncle could always work when he wanted, for as long as he wanted, and then take the family to Hawaii when he wanted. At age 50 he could move more adeptly than most 30 year-olds. On a construction site he can perform all of the trades involved in building a house from nothing.
I stayed on the guest bed at my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Norman’s house these past two weeks. I still do not have a place of my own in the city, and this arrangement saves me from some two hours of commuting every day. Norm and Nancy have always been generous, and I think they like having me around some. A bonus of this proximity was that my uncle took the time to come to my jobsite in Crown Hill, to see my work. On Tuesday evening he said “why don’t I come to your job tomorrow to put in that electrical box? You can buy me lunch.”
And so he did. This 65 year old master of mine came to one of my jobs to perform a task in exchange for some simple conversation afterwards. As the two of us worked together in the rain, I was reminded of my nephew Noah last Summer. Hopefully one day I will be giving him a hand as he builds his own name, and his own reputation. Hopefully God will bless my later years in this way.
albaniacalling 