This Old Saw

Key to Our Children’s Character

Hanging on my wall as decor is a collection of old, sentimental tools that once belonged to my dad and grandfather. Some of my favorite items are my grandfather's old Magno-Level and his old Ka-Bar Rigging Knife he used as a sailor in WW2.

My favorite tool is an old wood saw that belonged to my dad. It has weathered time like an old cowboy’s face who can’t hide the years of hard work. The wooden handle’s finish is nearly rubbed away. An empty hole and faded ring mark where a screw came loose and lost in the snow one night. A thin patina of rust blankets blade which still hangs as straight as an arrow today. Its teeth have chewed through many cords of wood in all types of weather.

As I let my mind wander, memories gush like an open floodgate. 30 years ago this saw and I worked together to keep the family warm on the cold, eastern plains of Colorado. Our family’s means were meager when my dad was injured. Our chainsaw beyond repair and our circular saw broken, I was relegated to the handsaw for a season. The warm dining room was the favored place to hang out in the winter as the hungry wood-burning stove was stoked by my hand-cut firewood.

This old saw taught me many lessons. Winter comes on its own schedule and some more severe than others. Oak is harder to cut than pine, but it also gives more heat. Cutting wood is more about technique than brute force, but brute force is sometimes necessary. A skinny 120lb teenager can cut enough firewood to keep a family of six warm. The most important lesson this saw taught me was that I’m capable of more than I realized. These lessons shaped me to become who I am today.

I don’t believe that I would have pushed through and overcome some of life’s later challenges had I not had the character pressed into me through hard work has a kid. Although I didn’t always have new clothes or the latest trends, I had three square meals and I knew the meaning of hard work. With limited resources, I could fix anything that broke down or needed repair. I became very confident, competent and independent. 

Today as I raise a family, I’m faced with a concern. Have I given my kids a saw of their own? Have I equipped them to know the meaning of hard work? If we give our kids a “better life” than what we had, are we doing them a disservice? If we provide a comfortable lifestyle for our kids, what’s their character catalyst? How do we as parents address the conundrum between giving our kids a better life than we had while still providing character-building experiences?