Maintenance Man Monday: Measure Twice

My darling husband is... well, sometimes he's a little... cautious.

He's one to measure twice.

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Honestly? Sometimes it drives me crazy. He won't answer a question with a "yes" unless he's absolutely positive of something. "Probably" is one of his most-used terms.


Adrie (being all mushy): "Zeke, will you love me forever?"
Zeke: "Probably."

A: "Are your parents going to be here by lunch-time?"
Z (who just got off the phone with them): "Probably."

A: "Will the sun will rise in the East?"
Z: "Probably."

Okay, maybe the last one was a bit of an exaggeration. 

Zeke is also very cautious about his interactions with others. He tends to be reserved- doesn't express much, and doesn't share much of his opinions, at least not at first. In meetings (which I now get to be a part of since we work together), he typically doesn't say a thing until it's starting to wrap up.

These qualities extend to his work. Several of the summer staff members who worked on Zeke's maintenance crew this summer reported that Zeke is pretty "tough," and that it's hard to work under him. Why? It's not because he's unfriendly... it's because he wants things done intentionally and correctly. The way he would do it.

He's patient, and he's deliberate.

Me? I'm more of this frame of mind...

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And it is, isn't it? It's much more fun to go ahead and speak without thinking, or do something just to get it done without making sure every step is completed. How often do we tell an untruth by saying "yes" when we aren't completely sure?

Even though it sometimes bugs me, maybe I can learn a lesson from Zeke about measuring twice....