Save The Last Hit

So, my children--where do you think this one will take you?  I'll save you the stress.....picture and see in your mind's eye me as a child of 10, it's Sunday morning in the spring on Route 23 and I am outside building a hog pen from boards with my Dad, and I am feelng my young oats. Just look at my muscles. Dad gives me a board to nail up. I position the nail, and hit it cleanly, one-two-three times, and then one more cruaher to make sure that nail never comes out. Board splits. Same thing happens again. Split. He told me that when he was a youngster, he worked for Ewell Sparks, and was paid to make wooden concrete forms for sidewalks on the schoolground--(probably an old CCC or WPA program). This one in particluar was the sidewalk along the old band building down across from the third grade school buildings, and down behind the Methodist Church. Dad said he was taught that when he was hitting a nail, save the last hit--that last unnecessary pounding hit we all make as a statement we're done--save that hit and you wouldn't split your board. Works other places too. And it gets more profound the longer you sit and think about it.