Forgiveness

Last night “60 Minutes” featured two women who had experienced the power of forgiveness. One had lost her brother because of a drunk driver. The other had been injured for life by a gunman. Both of these women suffered from their own anger and outrage over what had happened to them, so they ultimately sought the help of a program called Restorative Justice. Mediators brought them face to face with the imprisoned perpetrators. In these sessions, they gave their forgiveness and reaffirmed the worth and value of the other person. Healing all around occurred.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about forgiveness, and another example that has come to mind is the Amish parents of children who were killed in their school. That very evening these parents went to the gunman’s home to express their sympathy and forgiveness to his wife and children, who had also experienced a loss that day.

You write it: What’s your experience with forgiveness? Is there someone you need to forgive?