Making a mark

Long ago I reprimanded one of my sons for carving his name on a wall in a well known castle we were visiting. The “conversation” went something like this…

“What do you think you are doing? That wall has been there almost 2000 years and along you come and carve your name in it! Stop!”

The reality of corse was that my complaint was pointless. The damage had already been done and really there was nothing anyone could do to take away the poorly chiseled markings.

Today’s picture was taken inside one of the famous colleges in Cambridge England. Names of long past students who were intent on leaving their mark carved neatly in the desks. I suppose I could add my name and add “1789” to fool someone but these are the real deal known to have been etched well over 200 years ago. So how did they “get away with it”? Clearly putting your name on something is a dead give away! The ancient school master would obviously go to “Everest” and “D.E.Davey” to “enquire” as to how they thought their names had found themselves on the desk top.

My sons response was, “Well everyone else does it, look.” and sure enough there were many other names on the ancient wall. As a parent my reply was, (and I can hear the old school master saying too) “just because everyone else does it doesn’t mean you have to; do the right thing, not what everyone else does.”

My immediate thought looking at this kind of thing is “beware your sins will find you out” (I wonder how many times I heard that famous line as a child?). How stupid is it to do something bad and leave your name to show who did it?

But theres a point to all this. Every deed or thought leaves a mark, not just the ones we sign. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean our name isn’t there. If all our “secret sins” were visible they would look just like that messed up desk top. Ruined? Well, no, not exactly, scratched up and marred the desk is still in place and perfectly usable all this time later, and I’m sure it will be for many years to come.

“Messed up” there is still a place for all of us to make a difference. I don’t remember which of the names on the desk it was but one of them went on to become the chaplain of the college years later. I’m sure as he attempted to guide his students he would have had a little more tolerance and understanding than might be expected for those carving in desks.