Concrete is a wonderfully adaptable building material, as China well knows. What I didn't realize was that it also holds valuable lessons for the building of relationships.

I learned this lesson after determining to pour a concrete patio in my backyard in the United States. A total novice, I was blithely unaware of concrete's nuances. I thought I could simply dump material into a cement mixer, add water, pour it out, smooth it over and - Voila! I learned it's not quite that easy.

Fortunately, my neighbor, Senator Curt Bramble, an elected official in the Utah State Legislature, happened by. He saw me struggling. Without hesitation, he hurried to assist. From his youth, Bramble had become an expert in concrete. He knew the steps for pouring a proper slab and brought tools I didn't know existed. He understood the character of the material and how to work with it.