Deck building is a productive use of time and provides much time for thought. Envisioning the space it will occupy, figuring out where to place the steps, attaching the ledger and digging the footings by hand are the beginning steps for years of fun. The deck provides space and time to think while observing the birds and taking in the air. An outdoor office, or living room it can be.
The deck is constructed and maintained. When the deck is done and complete you are able to appreciate the foundation of support knowing that it is there to stay.
Maintaining the deck is an annual labor of love. The deck boards become new again and the railing and balusters become one with the space. The powerful rains bead on the surface and I can breathe in a sense of accomplishment and pride knowing that the experience of a deck will continue for another year.
Metaphorically, our personal ledger boards and foundations for existence can be just as simple or much more unseen. Think of all the experiences we have both good and bad as the weather we endure. The winds are the thoughts we think as they are unseen yet sometimes felt.
What do we do to maintain ourselves from year to year? Sometimes this may be too much or not enough. We are complex but simple.
-By Rob Bergeson, Youth Care Coordination Team Advocate