One Stripped Screw At A Time

When my neighbors told me they would help me re-build my deck, I literally jumped on board! My deck was small, non functional, and had some rotten boards. I thought I can do this; a few boards, a drill, a week or so of work – how hard could it be!

With very little experience and only a vague idea of what I was doing, I was thankful that my neighbor was a retired engineer with alot of experience in building. After all, they had built their own cabin. Having experience in teaching engineering also, he helped me learn how to use different tools, explained all the physics of things, walked me thru all the steps, but cut me no slack!

I stripped more screws than I care to count and destroyed more drill bits than I want to admit. One of the running jokes became the grinding noise that the drill made when I didn’t have the bit seated correctly – a sound that made him visibly cringe every single time. He probably questioned why he offered to help me build my deck in the first place. And yes, I bought several sets of drill bits to replace the ones I destroyed!

What started as a building project quickly became a lesson in much more than construction. Each board, each screw, was a reminder that learning something new takes humility, persistence, and a sense of humor. The physical challenge was real – sore muscles, chigger bites, and days when I was sure I’d never have the energy to fix supper. But the mental challenge? That was even bigger. Pushing thru the frustration, continuing when I wanted to quit, or when I thought I couldn’t pick up one more board, especially the 2x8x10s…. but that is where the real growth happened. Honestly, I wouldn’t trade the experience or growth for anything and I would do it all over again in a minute!!

On the last day, as we were finishing up I found myself tearing up. Part was exhaustion (wont lie), but most was pride! Real, deep down pride in what we had built – not just a deck itself, but the new skills, the strength, confidence, and resilience I gained along the way!

When I look at my new deck, I don’t just see wood and screws. I see accomplishment! I now see a symbol of what is possible when you step out of your comfort zone and decide to rise to the challenge. I am so much more capable and confident, and forever grateful for the lessons I learned with wood, tools, working together, and perseverance.