CAREER PROS1:The Story of the Carpenter

friend and I were recently talking about careers (what a surprise!) and what it takes2 to be successful.As always,our conversation took twists and turns3,but eventually a couple of key observations were brought up about glass ceilings,mirrored ceilings,and the story of the carpenter.

Glass and Mirrors

The “glass ceiling” is a symbol of the invisible but real barriers4 to women and others trying to work their way up the corporate5 ladder.

When you look up,you can plainly see the next level in your career.It LOOKS like youre almost there. But then you bump6 your head into that pesky7 glass ceiling.

The glass ceiling is real.Nobody at the top is going to hand over the keys to the executive suite8.You have to grab them for yourself.

But I told my friend that before we can deal with the glass ceiling,most of us have to face the mirrored ceiling.

The mirrored ceiling, like the glass ceiling,stops you,but you dont know why.The mirrored ceiling represents the obstacles9 you put up for yourself.

To see it,you first have to believe there is a mirrored ceiling.Almost all of us have created one.For years,it seems opaque10.Then one day the light hits us a certain way and we see our own face staring back at us. And you suddenly know who is holding you back.Its you.Only then can you begin to figure out11 HOW you hold yourself back.

The Carpenter

The story of the carpenter is about our work and life.Our careers are only as well-made12 as the effort we put into them.

The story of the carpenter is like one of those electronic messages your friends send you to help you sort out your life.Before the Internet,you would see similar messages,which had obviously been photocopied thousands of times,taped13 to office walls.Now thousands of them fly through cyberspace14.Most are vaguely15 amusing or thought-provoking16.This one is a keeper.

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire.He told his employer-contractor17 of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely18 life with his wife,enjoying his extended family19.He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by20.

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 in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work.He resorted to shoddy workmanship21 and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house,the contractor handed the front door key to the carpenter.“This is your house,”he said,“my gift to you.”

What a shock!What a shame!If he had only known he was building his own house,he would have done it all so differently.Now he had to live in the home he had built none too22 well.

So it is with us.We build our lives in a distracted23 way,reacting rather than acting,willing to put up less than the best.At important points we do not give the job our best effort.

Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built.If we had realized the outcome,we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter.Think about your house.Each day you hammer a nail,place a board,or erect a wall.Build wisely.

It is the only life you will ever build.Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously24 and with dignity25.

Remember,“Life is a do-it-yourself project.”

注釋：

1．pro：贊成的論點，贊成者，贊成票

2．take：需要(決心、毅力等）

3．twists and turns：迂回曲折(委曲)例：Although it looks direct on the map the path twists and turns a lot. 這條路在地圖上看上去很直，其實迂回曲折，拐彎很多。On their way forward, they are bound to run into twists and turns. 在前進的道路上，他們是一定會碰到曲折的。

4．barrier：障礙

5．corporate：公司的，社團的, 法人的,

6．bump： (使)猛擊，(使)沖撞，撞傷

7．pesky：討厭的,煩人的

8.executive suite：領(lǐng)導(dǎo)/管理崗位

9．obstacle：障礙(物);妨礙

10. opaque：不透明,不透光的；不反光的,不發(fā)亮的

11. figure out：想出,理解,解決

12. well-made：制造得好的,講究的；樣子好的,身材勻稱的

13.tape：用膠布把……黏牢，用帶子捆扎，【美】纏繃帶于

14. cyberspace：電腦空間

15.vaguely：含糊地,有些

16. thought-provoking：引起思考的，發(fā)人深省的

17. employer-contractor：業(yè)主兼承包人

18. leisurely: 悠閑的,從容的

19. extended family: 大家庭,擴大的家庭(如數(shù)代同堂的家庭，尤指三代以上同堂者)

20. get by：過活，過日子；（日子）過得去 例：How does she get by on such a small salary? 她靠那么一點兒薪水怎么過活？ This work will get by, but thats all.這活兒還湊合，可僅此而已。

21．shoddy workmanship：拙劣的手藝或技巧

22．none too：一點也不，很不 例：The salary they pay me is none too high. 他們付給我的薪水根本不高。

23．distracted：思想不集中的，心煩意亂的

24．graciously：雅致地，優(yōu)裕地

25．dignity：尊嚴

left the man with the steam cleaner all alone in the house and watched from my shack as he poured bucket by bucket the gray brackish water that had rinsed our comings and goings from the carpet.That morning I had moved all the small items—hassock,coffee table,magazine rack,and more—to the hardwood and tile to make way for his work.Also the two end tables,the floor lamp—everything one man could lift by himself,including the dogs toys and the window shade ropes.

And I would have noticed,had it been on the floor,your black lacy bra,hanging by a strap from a dresser handle,but Im sorry,there it was,after he left,still hanging,though I noticed it hung this time by the left shoulder instead of the right,as though it had fallen as he cleaned the alley next to your side of the bed,that trouble spot where the dog sleeps.Yes,thats it,Im sure,it had fallen,and he,in one professional motion,had put it back,as I had put it back just the night before,having noted for whatever reason one might note such a thing— even before I held it to my lips and took in the rich,cool scent of your absence—which seemingly negligent strap it dangled by.