What Are We Building?

The other day I drove past a The other day I drove past a construction site and found myself construction site and found myself construction site and found myself watching a crew pour concrete. watching a crew pour concrete. watching a crew pour concrete. Yeah, I know. It's very exciting. Yeah, I know. It's very exciting. Yeah, I know. It's very exciting. But it got me thinking. The men pouring But it got me thinking. The men pouring But it got me thinking. The men pouring that concrete know something the rest of that concrete know something the rest of that concrete know something the rest of us often forget. Most of them will never us often forget. Most of them will never us often forget. Most of them will never be around to see that project at its be around to see that project at its be around to see that project at its peak. peak. peak. The office building, the school, the The office building, the school, the The office building, the school, the church, the neighborhood, whatever's church, the neighborhood, whatever's church, the neighborhood, whatever's being built will eventually be built by being built will eventually be built by being built will eventually be built by someone else and eventually belong to someone else and eventually belong to someone else and eventually belong to someone else. They're doing that someone else. They're doing that someone else. They're doing that concrete work today that other people concrete work today that other people concrete work today that other people will benefit from tomorrow. will benefit from tomorrow. will benefit from tomorrow. As America approaches its 250th As America approaches its 250th As America approaches its 250th birthday, I've been thinking about how birthday, I've been thinking about how birthday, I've been thinking about how many people have done exactly that. many people have done exactly that. many people have done exactly that. The farmers who cleared the land, the The farmers who cleared the land, the The farmers who cleared the land, the teachers who taught our children, teachers who taught our children, teachers who taught our children, the inventors who solved the problems, the inventors who solved the problems, the inventors who solved the problems, the soldiers who served, the business the soldiers who served, the business the soldiers who served, the business owners who took risks, owners who took risks, owners who took risks, the parents who [music] worked long the parents who [music] worked long the parents who [music] worked long hours to create opportunities for their hours to create opportunities for their hours to create opportunities for their children.

children. children. Most of them never knew [music] our Most of them never knew [music] our Most of them never knew [music] our names. They never saw the world that we names. They never saw the world that we names. They never saw the world that we would inherit. would inherit. would inherit. Yet they built it anyway. Yet they built it anyway. Yet they built it anyway. We spend a lot of time asking what We spend a lot of time asking what We spend a lot of time asking what previous generations left for us. previous generations left for us. previous generations left for us. Maybe a better question is what we're Maybe a better question is what we're Maybe a better question is what we're leaving for those who come behind us leaving for those who come behind us leaving for those who come behind us because one day, because one day, because one day, if we're fortunate, somebody will be if we're fortunate, somebody will be if we're fortunate, somebody will be living in the future we helped create. living in the future we helped create. living in the future we helped create. The question is whether they'll be The question is whether they'll be The question is whether they'll be grateful for what we built.