11/01/2026
After 30 years, my foresight has finally paid off, lol. I bought these two tape measures together in July of 1996 at Ace Hardware of Oliver Springs Tennessee. I remember specifically because I stopped there on my way to work where I was building my very first home for my wife and kids. I also remember they cost me about $15 bucks a piece. I bought 2 for several reasons. One it's handy to have 2 when you are squaring up corners to walls or openings. Two, it's easier to find one in the tool box when you have 2 of them. But most importantly, three, if one were to break you have a backup :)
Together, these two tape measures have built 300 homes from the ground up, they've done countless decks, room additions, basement finishes, remodels, and kitchen and bath upgrades. They have been with me for all of the ups and downs in good times and bad. This past week the one on the right finally broke. It was very sad for me but I did have my backup to continue working.
After it broke, the philosopher in me was thinking about all the good it did over its lifespan and how much happiness and joy it has brought to so many. Hundreds and probably thousands of people have lived in houses it helped to build. They've had birthdays and Christmas celebrations, they have stayed cool in the summer and warm in the winter and maybe even marked their kids height each year on a door frame like I did with these very tape measures. Together, these tape measures have worked daily to make life a little better for everyone who have enjoyed what they helped to build. I believe that's not just a good way to look at the true value of these tape measures but it's also a good way to look at life in general for all of us. What do each of us do to make this world a little better than it would be without us? I'd say that would be a pretty good measure of a man.
