THE FUNDAMENTALS

Friday night Gorden
with implications to ponder and take to heart.
He and I spoke as those will
        who watch a site day after day.
We talked of the weeks spent thus far
with concrete and steel that won't be seen again.
Every other part of the building
will take shape and size
from the work done now.

Anyway, as I was saying, we were sort of fondling
        the history of the project
                    - three years worth -
when Gorden recalled an incident
You know, he mused, dealing with that baby
cost us three months construction time.

Someone had raised an alternate way of going.
Because our faith holds firm
        to give everyone hearing
        and every idea consideration
we chose to halt the project
        until the proposal had been researched and,
            as it turned out, laid aside.
Three months.

There are a lot of questions and suggestions
        in a congregation of four hundred.
What looks, when I'm impatient,
        like evidence of spoiling delay
is sign of respectful attention and careful study.
If you're building well, the fundamentals take time.

                                                                                                Rudy