Great builders are the truly special ones

I often feel unappreciated in most everything that I do. Maybe it’s because I’m a mother, maybe it’s because I take on too much, or maybe it’s just the way life is supposed to be.

While trolling through Facebook recently, an interesting post caught my eye. It was titled “Invisible Mother,” and I just had to read it. The woman described how she often felt like she wasn’t human, but more like a GPS system for her husband’s lost keys or a taxi service for her children’s activities.

I can relate.

But what began as empathy evolved into an epiphany as the author likened her life to that of one of the “great builders.” When people look at an ancient cathedral, she said, no one remembers who built it, not to mention that it took thousands of people to complete. The architects of such great structures never even lived to see their dream realized and yet they pursued those visions passionately and tirelessly.

She said that once she reframed her perspective to that of a “great builder,” it was easier to make peace with the lack of acknowledgement for all her hard work being a wife and mother.

I have always wanted to be a part of a greater legacy, perhaps something involved with civic service, but I have never been able to find the time. I’m so busy being busy, I never have made good on my goal to volunteer time to the community.  And that’s when the opportunity to make good on that goal presented itself.

At an event this past weekend, I joined former professional colleagues to remember a man who was one of my mentors. Andy Angelo, the former news editor at The Grand Rapids Press, was an amazing man who respected everyone, was completely giving of himself to others and had the patience of a saint. Believe me, this man “walked the walk.”

In his honor, Habitat for Humanity is building a home, called The House That Andy Built. It is a fitting tribute to a soft-spoken man, who, by just about everyone’s estimation, was one of the “great builders” of West Michigan newspapering.

This mother and this man motivate me to be a great builder, too. It’s comforting to know that personally and professionally I am part of a continuous storyline — and it’s easier to accept setbacks when I see myself as a chapter in the story, not the conclusion.

I don’t need to get credit for what I do; I just need to remember that I am part of something that is bigger than myself. I’m helping to raise a great kid and to build a tangible structure with an honorable heritage. What’s better than that?

If you would like to know more about The House Than Andy Built, please visit facebook.com/TheHouseThatAndyBuilt.

— Sarah Leach is content editor at The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at (616) 546-4278 or sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com.