A STORY WORTH TELLING
“Anything worth saying is worth repeating.
It’s rare that we come across something worthwhile in life, and a single encounter is enough for it to stay with us.”
— Humble the Poet (Kanwer Singh), Canadian-born YouTube personality, poet, bestselling author, and former elementary school teacher.
During my first decade or so of column writing, it was my profound opinion that one column, fanfare or failure, was a stand-alone work of art. Published, one and done. Filed for posterity.
But I’ve mellowed somewhat on that philosophy. Regular readers will have noticed that especially if you caught last week’s offering. What was a worthy piece based on reconnecting with an old friend a few years ago deserved another time around with an added chapter on his recent passing. And, that’s what I did last week.
That wasn’t the first time. Over the years, I’ve dusted off other old columns, updated them and ran them one more time when it was deserved. I came to appreciate with time that an old column is not necessarily finished just because it’s been written and read. Many can find new life and acquire new meaning for any one of several reasons.
It could be a new twist on an old thought because time changes everything. Or, it might be new information that adds a new chapter where the original work left off. I’ve even learned it’s also all right to repeat one verbatim. Because what was once good is often still good after time has faded memories.
That works incredibly well for writers finding themselves in unexpected circumstances, high and dry and on deadline.
Serious situations like Illness. Family emergencies. Equipment malfunctions. Lack of coffee.
Crisis situations that are cause for f leecing the files in hopes of re-airing an oldie but goodie. With proper explanation and reference to its original appearance date, I’ve rerun old works word for word that were more popular the second time around.
In complete transparency, a portion of this piece was once published in the pages of the Boerne Star newspaper. The early to mid-90s, as best as I can recall. In that first publishing, I compared longtime column writing to preachers who move from one congregation to another proclaiming the gospel. And, how each new flock is an opportunity to introduce previously preached sermon texts to a whole new audience.
Works for newspaper column writers, too.
Because it’s true that anything worth saying once is always worth repeating.
That topic came up not long ago in a discussion with preacher friend Tim Perkins.
Well, it wasn’t columns or sermons, but my song leading. And, how I fear repeating songs too frequently. So much so that I’ve built a searchable database of song services for the years I’ve served as song leader at Center Church of Christ.
“I can tell you what songs we sang on any given date,” I bragged.
“Or, I can give you a list of each song with all the dates that hymn was included in the order of worship.”
Tim, however, pondered whether people remembered precisely what songs they had sung on any given Sunday, more than a week or two removed.
Excepting perhaps, one of their personal favorites.
“Well, I admit there are times I don’t even remember myself,” I said with a quick shoulder shrug. “So many songs in the hymnal, I guess any song we sing could quickly be forgotten after a week or two.”
“Yes,” Tim smiled, “but there is always that one.”
Tim began preaching as a teenager, often referring today to a time “… way back when I was just a boy preacher.” He comes from a long line of preachers, with his grandfather, father, sons, and other relatives serving in full and part-time ministry roles over the years.
Finishing his “always that one” story, Tim said. “Dad was the preacher at this small church over by Nacogdoches. After he left, I also preached there on an interim basis when they were looking for someone to fill the pulpit fulltime. Then, when my son Matt was attending school at Stephen F. Austin, he preached there a few Sunday mornings to help out.
“As people were filing out after the service concluded one Sunday when Matt had preached,” Tim continued, “this little lady placed her hand on his shoulder and said, ‘I really did enjoy your sermon this morning.’” Matt thanked her.
“Then she added, ‘I also enjoyed it when your grandfather preached it, and I enjoyed it when your father preached it.’” Because it’s really true that anything worth saying once is always worth repeating. Even if just for that one person who remembers.
