He is an old man, weary from years of yearning.
Looking into his eyes, I see a glimmer of a younger man’s dream, and a head full of possibilities.
He reminds me of my neighbor Tim, dressed in drab and dreary clothes, covered in dust and dirt.
Jim is old beyond his years, from the hard work of building custom homes for wealthy clients, yet his own house remains a work in progress, cobbled together by snatching moments and materials from his custom creations.
He has dreams that his kids will live a different life. He dreams of taking his bride of 37 years to Europe for a long overdue honeymoon.
And yet I envy him… Why?
Jim is an artisan; a craftsman. He does what he loves and he does it often. He is content in the moment and in the results of his hands.
He is happy.