What a difficult topic for me. The easiest response is to hold a grudge. Forever if needed.In the chapter is a great observation, why is it easier to forgive strangers than those close to us?
Phil has excellent examples of couples, but he opens with an example so amazing, it is my personal template for forgiveness.
I've lived my whole life in southeastern Pennsylvania. The Anabaptist (Amish, Mennonite, Brethren etc.) and with age I've grown to admire their faith. The Amish community response after the Nickel Mine tragedy is the example.
What the world saw thanks to television was no pose for the community. In fact, they hate the attention and glare. This is how they live everyday. My late father was in a bad auto accident and the other driver was Anabaptist. They visited him in the hospital, asked what they could do to help. Never once did they worry about guilt or innocence. Glad he survived, what else can we do? This was so strange to us, almost hard to understand.
Forgiveness is powerful, not easy, but worth the work. I was glad to be reminded of the example set by my neighbors, and since I read chapter 5, as a horse drawn buggy slows my commute, I'm reminded of forgiveness. Not how late I'll arrive.
@PhilipWagnerLA
www.philipwagner.com
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