Attending a conference for clinical psychologists some years ago, I heard, “I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind but now I see.” coming from an adjacent room in the events center where a group of Presbyterians were meeting. Their music provided a lovely background for a new field of scientific inquiry called — forgiveness.
WWK--Better than ever--Look for the return of blogs by Linda Rodriguez! She's back--on 1/4. Watch for our new blogger Tammy Euliano--debuting on 1/17
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Margaret S. Hamilton's short story, "Killer Weeds," appears in the January 20 edition of Texas Gardener's Seeds: From Our Garden to Yours. Congratulations, Margaret, who, if you follow Facebook know, is a superb gardener herself!
Congratulations to Jennifer J. Chow for garnering a 2021 Lefty Nomination for Best Humorous Mystery Novel. We're crossing our fingers for Jennifer!
Congratulations to Paula Gail Benson whose "Reputation or Soul" has been chosen for Malice Domestic 16: Mystery Most Diabolical anthology to be released this spring.
KM Rockwood's "Stay Safe--Very Safe" appears in this year's 2020 BOULD anthology. Congratulations, KM!
Margaret S. Hamilton's "Dealing at the Dump" appears in Cozy Villages of Death Fall 2020.
Margaret S. Hamilton's "Black Market Baby" and Debra H. Goldstein's "Forensic Magic" appear in Masthead: Best New England Crime Stories Fall 2020.
Jennifer J. Chow's Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines (interview on WWK on 11/11) released on November 10.
Annette Dashofy signed with agent Dawn Dowdle of the Blue Ridge Literary Agency. Congratulations, Annette!
KM Rockwood's "Secrets To The Grave" has been published in the SinC Chesapeake Chapter's new anthology Invitation To Murder, released by Wildside Press on 10/6.
Susan Van Kirk's Three May Keep A Secret has been republished by Harlequin's Worldwide Mystery. The WWK interview about the book can be accessed here. We're so glad another publisher picked up this series.
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Friday, September 1, 2017
Forgiveness by Warren Bull
Attending a conference for clinical psychologists some years ago, I heard, “I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind but now I see.” coming from an adjacent room in the events center where a group of Presbyterians were meeting. Their music provided a lovely background for a new field of scientific inquiry called — forgiveness.
12 comments:
A timely reminder, Warren. Each of us has the power to forgive, which does not mean we should also forget.
~ Jim
Warren,
I agree with your sentiments. Jim is also correct: we can choose to forgive but should not forget.
Excellent points, Warren. And just because you forgive someone doesn't necessarily send the message that what they did was okay and you don't have to like the person.
Time and distance helps!
Warren, my poetry and short mystery stories have been printed in our church's Family Newsletter since it started a little over a year ago. In the latest issue instead of doing parts of the story over four issues (they come out every three months) Dan, the editor and a big fan of my books, put the whole story "Mincemeat is or Murder" on one page. At the end he left a nice note telling the parishioner about my books and they should check them out.
At Mass the following Sunday, I sat with my group of friends and next to Carol, as I usually do. Although we graduated from the same small class, we didn't hang around together in high school, but became friends when I sat next to her at church and then ended up in the same book club. After Mass, I asked her if she had enjoyed my latest story since she reads all my books. She scowled and said "I hated it!!! It had no business being in a Catholic Family News Letter." I was floored. She left then, and I left and worried about it all week wondering if others in our church felt the same way. I finally emailed Dan, and said maybe we should skip my murder mysteries and told him what Carol said. He responded with a very long email saying she complained about a lot of things, and Father Balish always checks the newsletter before it goes out and he enjoys my stories and so do a lot of other parishioners. Father Balish had said the Family News Letter wasn't for evangelizing but finding out what the parishioners were doing. He said any evangelizing would be at Mass.
Last night when I went to book club, Carol wasn't there. She'd called in sick. After we were done eating and discussing the book, I asked Cathy, who is related to Carol - a first cousin once removed - if she'd heard about what Carol had said to me. She said yes, and it had really upset her and her daughter, Erin. Apparently, Carol told Erin what she had said,
and Erin told her that was wrong and told her mother. Cathy and I both thought she didn't come to book club because she was embarrassed and feeling guilty. I'm feeling sorry for her. We all say things we're sorry for, although I don't remember saying anything that
harsh, but I know even if we sit beside each other at Mass on Sunday, she will always feel
uncomfortable about lashing out at me like that. Cathy told me everyone in their extended
family has been hurt by her at one time or another.
thank you, Warren, for the good words.
Time heals hurts, but there are some I will never forgive or forget.
So true. It's called carrying a grudge because a grudge is a burden on the one holding on to it.
The song "Amazing Grace" is a powerful one. It does address the ability of people to change, but does not advocate forgetting.
We have all done things for which we need forgiveness.
Good post, Warren. Forgiveness takes the burden off the shoulders of the injured, for sure. Life is too short (and too beautiful) to be burdened with so much unhappiness.
Lots to think about in your post, Warren. Amazing Grace is a wonderful song, so moving, so full of wisdom. This made me think of the old saying "An eye for an eye and the whole world ends up blind."
Very well put, Warren. Forgiveness is so the person who was hurt or harmed can move on with his/her life.
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