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 I remember a friend asking me the rhetorical question after he’d just had his new home built, “You know what this means, don’t you?” He quickly supplied the answer: “No repairs for 10 years!” Sure enough, he has largely been right in his prediction. On the other hand, the house my wife and I have is now better than 40 years old and we have needed to have the occasional repair done over the last couple of decades. Moreover, we have also chosen to do some renovations and while some of those changes we have been able to do ourselves, we have also had others carried out by skilled tradespeople. I discovered that I really appreciate watching people who are expert at their work in action. There are inevitably some tricks of the trade to be learned.  

Our latest renovation was undertaken last week as we lay hardwood in our family room. Installing this kind of flooring was a new thing for me, so I called upon the expertise of a good friend who has lots of experience in such things. He kindly and ably shared what he knew and led me through the installation process. What struck me (and it was quite like other craftspeople I have observed) was how he spent a great deal of time measuring, reflecting, and doing a form of walk-through on things well before a single piece of hardwood was laid. The simple but important lesson I was being reminded of was that where you start up very much can determine where you can end up. A minor discrepancy at the beginning of the project can become a massive flaw by the time you reach the other side of the room, especially in light of the fact that it is quite unlikely for a 40-year old room to be absolutely square. Even if the room was perfectly aligned on construction, things shift over the years. Small imperfections are magnified over time and distance.   

The discussion of whether human beings are fundamentally good or bad or somewhere in-between makes for interesting—and sometimes lively—after-dinner conversation. Whether it is something present in our wiring or whether it is something we learn, my own observation is that all of us possess flaws that trip us up, and those imperfections will also have some consequence to those around us. Left unchecked these flaws can, over time, create significant harm. On this holiest of days, Good Friday, I find myself contemplating this problem. If only there were a Craftsperson who could fix these things ….     Phil