Aphorisms Of The Fathers(And The Mothers)

Dateline: 21 September 2015

The grandfathers and  the grandmothers too.
(photo link)

I have been blogging regularly for a couple of weeks and it has been fun, but I'm going to have to take a break. While I'm away, I invite readers of this blog to contribute (via the comments section below) to a little idea that has come to my mind (and gone from my mind) several times over the years.....

I was prompted to start thinking about this idea again last month after writing my blog post titled, Here's Why Modern Banking Is An Evil System Of Economic Oppression. It wasn't anything I wrote that revived the little idea, but part of a comment from David Smith, whose comments I always find to be thoughtful and insightful. In particular, David stated...

"My depression era father, growing up here in rural TN said that one of the family mottoes was "Take care of what you need, and then maybe you can have some of what you want."

Family mottoes? That phrase, and the words of David's father, reminded me of a book I once thought I should write. The book would be titled, Aphorisms of the Fathers. 

An aphorism is a bit of wisdom expressed in a few words. A well known example of an aphorism comes from the movie, Forest Gump, when Forest's Mama tells him, "Stupid is as stupid does."

Aphorisms of the Fathers would be a book that served to equip fathers (and grandfathers) with a selection of sage aphorisms. Conscientious fathers would select and deliberately adopt a few key aphorisms to pass on to their children, through the years, whenever the opportunity for a sage aphorism presented itself.

Such aphorisms, oft and appropriately repeated, would become part of a family's lore or tradition. And the grown children who had heard them over the years would one day say, "My father always used to say..."

More importantly, this fatherly wisdom would be absorbed by the children. 

There are some fathers who are naturally inclined to have a good supply of aphorisms for their children. Perhaps that's because their own fathers were full of wise sayings. But I'm pretty sure that a lot of boys did not grow up hearing a lot of wise fatherly sayings. I say that because I don't recall hearing any myself.

With that thought in mind, I once asked a room of co-workers (several men) if they recalled any words of wisdom that their father or mother always used to say. There was silence. Then one guy said, "Yeah, my father always used to say..." and he repeated some perverse saying with cuss words in it. I forgot exactly what he said, but everyone laughed. I was kind of shocked. It was sad.

Anyway, after Aphorisms of the Fathers was published and became a best seller, I would, of course, then come out with Aphorisms of the Mothers. The was my plan.

But I have way too many plans and, alas, my Aphorisms of the Fathers project will never be. The same goes for two other books I planned to write (and actually started writing): Work is Not a Four Letter Word, and The Father & Son Spud Gun Fun Manual. 

Nevertheless, I still think the concept of adopting and using a selection of wise sayings should be an important part of wise fatherhood (and motherhood). So it is that this blog post will serve to take the place of the book I will never write. And this is where you, my dear readers, are needed...

During my absence from blogging (a week, or so) I invite you to provide one or more short, wise sayings that you think a mother or father might commit to memory with the intention of passing them on to their children whenever the situation was right.

If your own mother or father (or another family member) "always used to say" something that you remember, and that would be considered an aphorism, that would be especially good (no cuss words, please). But any simple, wise saying that you have otherwise heard or read, and think is particularly good, is also welcome.

Biblical words of wisdom may certainly be included. The book of Proverbs is full of aphorisms, and it was actually written by a father (Solomon) to give wisdom to his son.

Which brings to mind, Proverbs 16:18: Pride cometh before a fall. I distinctly recall my mother telling me that once. And it was a prophetic aphorism.

Please post your Aphorisms of the Fathers (And The Mothers) in the comments section below. The more, the better. If the overall participation is good, I will put a link to this post on my sidebar, where new readers will be more likely to read it and learn from it.

Thank you.