Family Quotation: “Honest confession is good for the soul, but darn hard on the reputation!”

My brother is one of the most competent men I know. He can repair a tractor, bake a pie, and help me with my taxes—all in the same day! That’s an Eagle Scout for you. This week he cooked dinner at the homeplace for not only Pop, himself, and myself, but as a special treat, my niece took a break from her work next door on predatory lending to join us. My brother not only cooked the dinner my brother had made, but he had caught the trout in Springfield the day before! He made tapioca for dessert, a particular family favorite, and it always makes us think, too, of Uncle Willard and the cherry tapioca he made when we had the mumps.

Erwin A. Thompson, our father

A highlight among the light family banter at the table was our father’s recollection of an old family quotation he hadn’t heard or thought of for years:

“Honest confession is good for the soul, but DARN HARD on the reputation!”

“This is village wisdom from the nineteenth century that still applies today” Pop declared. “You ought to put it up on your blog.”

So, here it is. We each felt that it was completely apt for these confessional times…when it seems as if each new scandal caught by politician of celebrity is supposedly wiped away by the ritual of the public confessional…and the tell-all books…and the shock talk radio and TV shows…and I’m sure you can think of others.”

Now, you can add it to your family quotations, and your stock of village wisdom.