It's a familiar age-old tale actually. Irresponsible wastrel squanders his sizeable inheritance on wine, women and song only to return home a penniless swineherd. And when he finally repents ( possibly since he's gone bankrupt ) only to throw himself at his father's feet, the wastrel gets a wild celebration with a fatted calf slaughtered in his honour?
What a crock.
No surprise then that the righteous brother of that prodigal son wasn't too amused. I don't blame him. Forgiving the prodigal is one thing, to throw a raucuous shindig is quite another. Far from being a vaunted saint, hell I would have slapped the bloody wastrel a few times at the least.
Maybe smacked him around with the leg of said fatted calf.
Oh look. The prodigal son returns. And he's damned hot to boot!
Obviously some people don't agree with me. In fact certain elders in my family have seen fit to reward the prodigal black sheep in the family - in spite of the fact that Richie Runt hasn't actually repented at all. I doubt he even knows the error of his misguided ways. From all I know he has probably grown much worse.
Screw around in class. Flunk your exams. Get kicked out of school. Patronize adolescent gambling dens. Mouth off to your elders.
And for all that, you win an all-expenses paid trip to Australia, courtesy of the family.
A pity. Maybe Richie Runt would have gone further afield if he'd taken recreational drugs, participated in illegal motor racing or knocked up an underaged girl. Just a thought. Well maybe doing drugs would only score you a new car.
But seriously. Talk about preferential treatment for the prodigal cousin. Obviously the rest of my perfectionista cousins are not amused. WTF. If I'd known, I would have goofed off more in school if I'd known.
11 comments:
i guess we just have to accept the reality tat fairness is not always guaranteed (even in the family).
life's a bitch!
Ah well. Families aren't known to play fair, are they? :P
u wouldn't do anything different if u have the chance to do it all over again =)
kick him in the ass with ur crocs!
I believe in causes and effects! :P
*SIGH*
you cant deny that parents love prodigal sons.
My take is slightly different. Everybody needs a sense of closure. (The dad needs to acknowledge a painful period of his life is over). The prodigal son is back , feted with a fatted calf etc but the morning after after the effects of the alcohol n haze in his mind blows away, he still has to face himself. Nothing has really changed except that he is back to square one. He cannot reacquire what he has lost or what he hasn't lost
That's totally true, happy and ryan!
Hence so are we, B :)
Not fair at all, that's true. But what's the reward for, life?
I have steel-toed boots for that, aaron :) Why waste my crocs?
Just wish they'd reward him for something worthwhile. Some achievement at the least, bradley.
That's true, not hamsap.
Forgiveness is alright but certainly no reason to celebrate, beng :)
P
(Is it too late to post a response?)
This is a really interesting post and comments. The bottom line, tho -- which you make -- is that Cousin is not repentent, he's mooching, he's working the family system. And the family elders are enabling this twisted behavior, and letting themselves be used.
Are we expected to forgive someone who truly has no remorse or sorrow? Even Jesus did not do that -- think of his condemnations of the "lawyers and pharisees -- hypocrites".
Never too late, George :) And you're right. Totally agree with that statement. Just wish they'd find a way to offer proper encouragement instead.
P
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