Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Justly Esteem'd Fools

The other night I was reading "Robinson Crusoe" (my all time favorite book) to my boys at bed time, when I came upon this profoundly true statement by Defoe.

It occurs at the end of the first chapter, when after his initial distresses at sea, Crusoe considers momentarily the prospect of returning home. He says...

"As to going Home, Shame opposed the best Motions that offered to my Thoughts; and it immediately occurr'd to me how I should be laugh'd at among the Neighbours, and should be asham'd to see, not my Father and Mother only, but even every Body else; from whence I have since often observed, how incongruous and irrational the common Temper of Mankind is, especially of Youth, to that Reason which ought to guide them in such Cases, viz. That they are not asham'd to sin, and yet are asham'd to repent; not asham'd of the Action for which they ought justly to be esteem'd Fools, but are asham'd of the returning, which only can make them be esteem'd wise Men."

And so it was that I was reminded again of the wisdom of repentance.

JDF