How to build a two story life
Although I am the son of a carpenter (No spiritual metaphor there. My dad really did build a lot of things.), I am not a builder. Still, I am familiar with the rule of thumb builders and architects use when it comes to designing houses, “It’s cheaper to build up rather than out.” It refers to the time and money saved by not having to build a larger basement or foundation and instead just build a floor above.
But, (and here’s where the metaphor starts) I think the opposite is true in building a life. Sometimes, I feel the inclination to just focus on one story, the story of my own little local life on earth at this moment. Yes, somewhere inside is this natural desire to be a part of a larger story, a second story, but expanding my own ground floor just seems more important or practical, demanding less energy. The second story, larger and maybe even more real, is the spiritual and eternal drama of God seeking and redeeming a people for himself, and going on to redeem all creation. Yeah, a pretty big story!
It’s just that I catch myself building out rather than up.
I know. I know. There are dangers in compartmentalizing our spiritual life and artificially dividing our existence into the spiritual and non-spiritual. And yes, we have to build on the right foundation…etc. There are problems with my metaphor. But, I still like it.
I like thinking of a stairway in my life that leads me to see more clearly the bigger story.
I like remembering the other story even when I can’t see it.
I like knowing it’s there even when I’m walking around on the ground floor.
I like the different view that I see from the second story.
I like the weird reality of the second story actually being there long before and long after the first story.
I like being able to say to others, “Let met show you the upstairs.”
So, about my tendency to build out rather than up… How do I change that? Will it help if I spend more time upstairs? Will it help if I keep the stairway uncluttered? Will it help if I notice that the second story is warmer when it’s cold out? Will it help if I go outside regularly to get perspective on the whole thing and say, “Wow. I like how that second story pulls the whole thing together!”
Will it help if I remember I don’t have to build it alone?
David Hamilton
My Grandfather was an architect/builder so I do remember hearing that rule of thumb you mentioned “It’s cheaper to build up rather than out.”
I like your metaphor about the upstairs and keeping the stairway uncluttered. We are so distracted in life by the “clutter” we have before us that it is often hard to get upstairs and see the “big story” you mentioned.
God has such better plans for our lives than we can imagine if only we “spend more time upstairs.”
…”It refers to the time and money saved by not having to build a larger basement or foundation and instead just build a floor above.”
Not so long ago we undertook a huge renovation project with an addition. It became obvious early in the planning stages that the costs to build out were going to be far greater than if we could figure out a way to build up. The tricky part was that the existing foundation wasn’t solid enough to support an entire second story (and I didn’t really want a traditional two-story house, one on top of the other). So, we spent a great deal of time deciding on a layout to distribute the weight evenly, minimize costs, and be aesthetically pleasing. The new part needed to fit together and flow with the old and it needed to be functional. We ended up with a multi-level house that had some interesting characteristics to it like little nooks and cubby holes, half-walls, large open doorways, and a sunken family room.
So, I like your metaphor, it conjurs a nice clean picture of a typical two-story house where one story is built on-top of the other…very symmetrical. It got me thinking about my own life though (which is what I suppose you were trying to do) and how I’m building my life story. I guess my life is more of the multi-level house, where some of the floors overlap others and some of them have big openings to see into the others, and the overall weight of the other levels is distributed across some of the existing foundation, but resting on some new foundation as well.
I’ve recently moved out of that house. I drive by it sometimes and just love how it looks from the outside, but I wonder if other people drive by and think it looks like a mess. Maybe that’s how we look at eachother’s lives too…wondering why others don’t design their life like ours or see value and importance in the same things we do. This gets me thinking about how God made each one of us so unique…not like those communities where all of the homes are exactly the same shape, style and color…
Seriously! Just when I thought I read all your good posts! This one is great!
“Will it help if I remember I don’t have to build it alone?” Perfect ending!!
Okay this one is not just great, but my new favorite… I printing this one out and sharing it! :) And if in the next 10 years I don’t see a book with your name as the author… i may feel like you’re selling yourself short;) … just saying :)