Listen and you just might learn

I relearned a fundamental truth about modern-day living while reading "Three Cups of Tea," by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

(My son was assigned to read the book, and as encouragement, I raced him to the final chapter.)

Anyway, the story about a mountain climber-turned-school builder in an impoverished area of Pakistan is a must read.

And one particular passage had a profound effect on me.

Greg Mortenson wanted desperately to build a school but needed funding.

He wrote letters requesting donations and lived out of his car until he finally gathered the needed cash. He then flew to Pakistan, purchased supplies (not exactly a trip to Home Depot), then arrived in the village only to discover that he must first build a bridge in order to deliver the supplies.

Either that or use the makeshift crate-for-a-cable car on a pulley that crossed the raging many feet below.

After working hard to complete the bridge, he was more anxious than ever to get back to the big event, building the school.

Time was running out (winter was soon approaching he had to leave soon).

In his earnestness to get things done, on time and on budget, Mortenson started doing things the Western way, aka notching it up a bit.

At this point, the village leader took Mortenson up the nearby mountain (with Mortenson worrying about how much time the hike would take) and shared the deep-felt gratitude his village feels for Greg and all that is being done.

Then the village leader said, "You must do one more thing for me."

"Anything," Mortenson said.

"Sit down. And shut your mouth. You're making everyone crazy."

Letting go of his inner-control freak, Mortenson allowed the villagers to do things their way.

Three weeks later, all that remained to be done with the school was to put on the roof. Mortenson shared this about the village leader's advice: