I was a sophomore at Brown High School in Sturgis, South Dakota. The class was English, taught by Mr. LaRue. Even years later, when many called him by his first name, Maury, I still called him Mr. LaRue. He was the sort of teacher that made you smile and he had a way of making me feel capable. I needed that at that time. Most of us need that at one time or another in our lives. Our classroom was located in the Science Building out at "The Farm". In those days, the High School campus was split into different locations with "The Farm" being just north of Fort Meade along Bear Butte Creek. I enjoyed my classes in the more agricultural setting rather than at the downtown campus. As with most English and Literature Classes, we studied our share of Shakespeare. Honestly, I do not remember if I enjoyed my Shakespearean experience or if I was overwhelmed. I do remember that I enjoyed Shakespeare more than Greek Mythology.
Mr. LaRue offered our morning class an option one week. When our studies were nearly complete with William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar'. We were told that we could either plan for a test or memorize and quote Marc Antony's tribute spoken at Caesar's burial. I chose to memorize the speech. Why? I knew the question... and I knew what the answer should be. The deadline came to recite the speech. Three of us, Teri, Randy and I, went out into the hallway to carry out the assignment. As the rest of my classmates took the test, I was reciting Shakespeare and It went went well.
To this day, I have benefitted from taking that challenge. Certainly, I have benefitted from the "speaking" aspect of the assignment as I get to do my share of public speaking. However, I have benefitted even more from the words that I memorized. It is not that I remember all the spoken text attributed to Marc Antony, but I do remember well, his opening lines. They are as follows:
"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar."
I have been reminded, by those lines, countless times to look for the good in people. I have been reminded, by those lines, countless times times to focus on positive influence, even if it be small. I have been reminded many times over, to not dwell only upon the bad. Certainly I will not overlook evil, but neither should I overlook the good. We live in a day when it is so easy to blame others for our weaknesses, especially when they are no longer around to defend themselves. We certainly gain no stature personally, when we do it at the expense of someone else. If we have to tear someone down to build ourselves up, there is no gain. And seriously, if they are no longer in our midst, we have stooped to a devious low.
Shakespeare, through words attributed to Marc Antony completes his statement with these thought provoking words.
"What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason."
May that not be said of me.