Independence Day Parable

Note: I originally posted this in 2006 in my LiveJournal, which was my writing outlet before I came to Blogger.

Independence Day Parable.
Probably a little heavy-handed and obvious. I apologize in advance.


Timmy and Tommy lived with their mother, whom they loved very much. They both did their chores and worked around the house, and did what they could to make their mother's life easier.

Timmy and Tommy viewed the world in different ways, and didn't agree on much at all. Timmy was basically a pessimist, always finding fault with his mother and how she ran the household. He never hesitated to point out her faults, even in a public place where other people could hear him. Tommy was basically an optimist, always trying to find the good in his mother and the way that she ran the household. Tommy was always careful to never criticize his mother in public.

Because of their different outlooks on life, Timmy and Tommy had vicious arguments at times, in which Tommy would accuse Timmy of not loving their mother and only pointing out faults, which drove Timmy into a fury. In his turn he would call Tommy an idiot and stupid for not wanting to recognize the "truth" about their mother.

Over time the people in the community lost their respect for the mother and her sons, and would repeat the things that Timmy said of the mother.

One day the mother, walking down a sidewalk, was knocked down and had her purse stolen. When she fell she broke her hip.

"She had it coming," many people said.

"How dare you? For shame!" said other people.

Tommy blamed the mugger for the crime.

Timmy blamed his mother for walking in a dangerous area of town.

The mother had to have hip-replacement surgery. She loved her sons unreservedly.