My Character House

 

When I was a child, I found a book my mother had bought through a book club. It was called Little Britches. The story was narrated by a boy about nine years old, and I was close to that age, so I read it with interest. The author Ralph Moody wrote about his relationship with his father growing up on a ranch in Colorado. He went on to write several more books about his coming of age in the early 20^th century, and I have them all. I read them aloud to my children when they were growing up, and every now and then, I revisit them.

 

The first book recounted an episode when Ralph lied to his father about something he wanted. The father punished him, but he also told him a story which resonates with me even today. He told Ralph that a man’s character is like his house. When a man lies to get what he wants, it’s like tearing the boards off his house and burning them to keep himself warm. Eventually he will have destroyed his house for selfish reasons, and a man with a ruined character is a disgrace upon this earth.

 

I couldn’t help but think about the character houses of the 43 Senators today.

 

Is there anything left standing?