It came to pass one day that my second born child perceived
an interest in Presidential biographies.
He discovered that, along with many copies of Joel Osteen’s Classic Tome
“Your Best Life Now!”, one can find a variety of Biographies for Very Little
Hard Currency in various thrift stores.
So it was that our family procured a copy of Jimmy Carter’s
Presidential Diary and also an autobiographical treatise of George W.
Bush. Certainly our family is not a clan
with strong political views, but Vincent is a reader of voracious appetite.
“Didst Thou enjoy yon book?”
I question Vincent, indicating one of the aforementioned books.
“I think so, Dad,” Vincent responded, for truth to tell, he
is often averse to stating clearly his likes for something. He proceeded to regale me with a breakdown of
what transpired during the Camp David Peace Accords. I was much impressed.
“Wouldst Thou repeat history?” I asked him.
“Only the good parts,” he responded seriously. “For Dad, while there have been many sad days
in History, there have been many Blessed Ones too. It dost not seem a bad thing to read to
understand how those Good Days came to pass.”
“Oh, my son,” I said.
“It comes to me that I would write a biography of Lyndon Johnson’s
limousine. Wouldst Thou read such a
book?”
“Perhaps I might,” he said.
“At least if it were a Page Turner.
But why wouldst thou write such a book, for up till now thou hast not
expressed interest in either cars or presidents.”
“Well, my son,” I said.
“It seems to me that this is a way to write a Presidential Auto Biography
without ever visiting the Iowa Caucuses and while it might be interesting to write such a book, visiting Iowa during the Caucases is Another Story."
I thought on this subject a great deal. It seemed to me that my son Vincent was
right. For historians are much focused
on the Mistakes of the Past, but perhaps it were better to focus on the
positives.
For, if life was only composed of a list of mistakes that it
would be well to avoid, it seems likely that little could ever be accomplished
for fear of falling into one of these pitfalls.
I thought me of a verse from Proverbs which tells, “For a
just man falleth seven times and riseth up again…” (Prov. 24:16).
Everyone has times when they err, but let that not be a
reason remain immobile. Pencils are
manufactured with both erasers and lead. After we have erased an error, we may, with our Father’s help, begin
again.
There are good things to learn from every life, even from
the lives of former Presidents.
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