Don’t Waste Paper

Having too much of anything is definitely bad. Likewise, focusing on a particular thing with a frightening intensity makes one miss the whole picture. Everything has to be taken in moderation. Hmmm... so what am I getting at? Well, I just realized that I may have excessively highlighted the importance of vital records in my previous posts.

There’s nothing wrong with relying on official records to verify a person’s claim as to his personal circumstances. However, relying solely on them may be a little bit too much, especially if the reason for it is not that important. I mean, you wouldn’t ask your best friend for his or her birth certificate when she fills out the “date of birth” line in your journal would you?

Resorting to vital records to verify a person’s background or personal circumstances is justified if it concerns an important transaction or activity. However, don’t ask for a death certificate when your friend tells you that her father has just died and that she wants you to come to the funeral. Such insensitivity might earn you a similar certificate of your own.