Reflection for May 2002

"Forgiveness cannot  be a disengaged, pasted emotion.  It is demanded in the bloodiest of human circumstances, and it must stand against the strongest winds of human rage and hate.  To be a real virtue, engaged with the world around us, it must be muscular, alive, and able to withstand the outrages and inequities of inhuman and inhumane acts.  It must be able to face the dark side of the human condition.

How we shape such forgiveness is one of the most crucial questions in our lives. And, it is not easy.  Sometimes we get so frustrated that we don't think we can take it any more.

But we can and we must, it is our human responsibility.  Even though we know that forgiveness misused or misunderstood, can become a tacit partner in the wrongs around us, we also know that, properly applied, it is the glue that holds the human family together.  It is the way to bridge the loneliness that too often surrounds us.  We must find a way to build that bridge even if our hands are clumsy and the material at our command are flawed."

----Kent Nerburn in his book
                        Calm Surrender: Walking the Hard Road of Forgiveness

         

Monthly Practices:

bulletWhat if 100 people or more would practice just for one month; extending on a daily basis an act of forgiveness or offer a genuine apology wherever it is needed...perhaps this simple , yet potent action could create a critical mass or possible tipping point toward shifting consciousness toward a vital and sustainable peace where it is needed in our lives.
          "Forgiving ourselves is the wellspring
           of all forgiveness."   (NERBURN)

 
 
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Last modified: May 04, 2009