It’s not too late to right a wrong

Have you ever said or done something you later regretted? Of course you have. Did you fix it?

If we were brutally honest, our life stories would likely contain dozens of those moments that caused us great turmoil at one time. But time has a way of shoving those unpleasant experiences deeper into our subconscious, whether they were ever resolved or not.

I was reminded of this by Kim on the Escape Adulthood blog she shares with her husband, Jason. As Kim points out, it’s never too late to right a wrong. The TV series, My Name Is Earl, is built around this premise.

My brother brought this into a family history perspective when he sent me an e-mail in response to my recent post about my beloved 1957 Chevy. Confident that the statute of limitations had run out, he confessed that he and a barely teenage friend had once taken my car out for a middle of the night joyride. A few jumped curbs and forays into neighbors’ yards later, they abandoned their foolhardy quest.

“Having told the true story of my dirty and shameful deed - my soul is now better for it,” he wrote.

That he kept this secret for four decades is nothing short of amazing to me. I could never hold such a great story inside for so long. I’m grateful that he finally chose to share it so it can claim its rightful place in my own family history.

His action has me re-examining my own life from a different perspective. How about you?

Larry Lehmer is a personal historian who helps people preserve their family histories. To learn more, visit his web site or send him an e-mail.

Flickr photo courtesy of The Full Moon.

Comments

[Kim of Kim & Jason]

Thanks for the link, Larry. That's a neat story about your brother! It really does make you think about the "secrets" that don't need to be hidden.

Keep up the great work!

[Larry Lehmer]

Thanks, Kim. We should all be generous in waiving the "the statute of limitations" on family stories, don't you think?