While the following is merely an attempt at being honest with myself - I am in no way despondent -

Just admitting a true fault - hopefully it will help another soul to learn, and avoid such a pitfall.

okay? <----- notice the lower case?

Mea Culpa

© - Tom Hyland - 03-03-09

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, let me apologize to all who have read any of my works in the past. I was warned by Elizabeth Lucas-Taylor long ago to stop using so many capitals and exclamation points, but I failed to heed her advice.

So why am I ‘fessing up’ yet again? This past weekend, one of my nieces, Bernie, gave me a good talking to - what some might call - Tough Love. After she explained to me how she, and at least three other relatives felt, it became patently clear to me - people thought that I was screaming at the top of my lungs with all those capital letters - especially when the topic was a rant, or rave, or blog - about a controversial issue.

While this was not my intent - rather emphasis - that is not what people were registering. Accordingly, I shall now try to curb both my emphasis as well as my anger, in my writing. This disclosure is not intended to excuse my bad behavior - rather, more of an explanation and acknowledgement of why I did what I did in the past.

Face it, this bad habit has been going on for many years, and will not be easy to overcome. But, I now accept it, recognize it, and promise (again, did this once before) to really work hard to overcome it. While I certainly do not want to be guilty of ‘back-sliding’ - face it, like everyone else out there - I am still human.

After Bernie explained to me how people were turned off by all that screaming, and because of that fact, simply stopped reading my work. Even though the topic might be a good one, and I might have had some good ideas, or points - the appearance of the text became like a ‘red flag’ - basically waving and saying - he’s screaming again. So, they would simply not finish reading it, or maybe even just delete anything from me, without ever even opening it.

I sincerely accept the blame - resolve to improve - and ask that any future misgivings be brought to my attention - okay?

For those of you who may not be well versed in Latin, or who never had a Catholic upbringing, let me take a moment to instruct:

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa is from a prayer, known as The Confetior, said in Latin, in every Mass ever conducted, and may be translated thusly:

Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault -

As these words were said, the penitents would tap their breasts with their right hand each of the three times - as a confession for past failures.

Thus, I am truly sorry for my past transgressions in my writing, and do honestly plan to do my best to improve.

In closing, for any of you who have stuck with me through this thick and thin, and have not given up on me - I sincerely thank you.

Peace - Abundance - Love … Tom.