An old adage for a new purpose...

By Vichara

We replay the scene in our heads to confirm the action and reaction but no matter what, it is done. I believe, at least to my knowledge, we are the only species that has the ability and the compunction to even do this. Some of what we recall is to remember and relive happy moments – an act to confirm we have a good life. The majority however seems to be of the moments where something troubling or wrong has occurred and for some reason we believe that replaying them over and over in our head that it will possibly change. The sound of crushing metal, breaking glass and the smell of acrid smoke cannot be reversed. I know sitting here that I do not need to hammer this point to far. This is just a reminder to me and to you of the ever-present ephemeral element of life. This minute, this moment is now a memory. It is intuitively how we approach the moment that will gauge its impact. Perhaps the old carpenter’s adage would be appropriate in how we infuse each moment – measure twice, cut once.

amerce • \uh-MERSS\ • verb
: to punish by a fine whose amount is fixed by the court; broadly : punish
Example Sentence:
"A freeman is not to be amerced for a small offence save in accordance with the manner of the offence.…" (Magna Carta, 1215)
Did you know?
If you break the law, you could find yourself "at the mercy" of the court. As you await your punishment (hoping that the judge will in fact be merciful), you may want to ponder the history of "amerce." It begins with the Old French phrase "a merci," meaning "at (one's) mercy," which in turn gave rise to the Anglo-French verb "amercier" (same meaning as "amerce"). Middle English speakers adopted the French word as "amercien," which was later modernized to "amerce." In addition to the legal use, "amerce" can also be used in a more general sense for the infliction of any sort of punishment, monetary or otherwise.