You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. — Mahatma Gandhi
Inspired by this week’s photo challenge at The Daily Post.
Luke 6 verse 35 – 37
Do you have someone you need to forgive? You already know I do if you have looked at my Forgiveness and Gratitude page at the top of my blog. And, what better day to forgive or at least to work on forgiving than Global Forgiveness Day?
Apparently, there are multiple dates set aside for forgiveness including International Forgiveness Day, the first Sunday of August. While doing research for this post, I found conflicting information about Global Forgiveness Day. An article at the Huffington Post stated Global Forgiveness Day was on July seventh; so forgive me if I have the wrong date.
My Bible
The exact date is probably less important than actually forgiving. The problem is how do we truly forgive? I am not going to rehash my prior posts since you can read them from the link above if you choose.
Instead, I want you to read a post from my friend, Phil Dzialo, Moving from Apology to Forgiveness to Closure … It Can Happen! He and his family found some closure after their experience with their son’s near drowning while at a summer day camp. He mentions a book, On Apology, by Dr. Aaron Lazare in his post. It is a book I highly recommend as I have been reading it upon Phil’s suggestion. It has helped me to understand there are times when we need an apology to help us to continue healing.
However, there are also times when you can learn to forgive without actually receiving an apology as noted in my prior posts about Dr. Frederic Luskin’s book, Forgive for Good. This seems to work better when the offense is in the past. However, even then it does not always work. This is especially true if you keep hearing stories about how great the people who offended you are. Imagine hearing this when you know that they really have not changed.
This is when an apology becomes extremely important. Otherwise it is too easy to get lost in anger, and that is not a good thing. Anger consumes you rather than those with whom you remain angry.
Photo taken at the FDR Memorial in Washington, D. C.
The last two days I have sat in this swing trying to decide how much I want to share with you to explain why I have been MIA. I realize no matter what I say it will not fully explain everything. It is impossible to see through someone else’s eyes or to completely understand their feelings no matter how much they share.
We recently passed the one year anniversary of leaving my daughter’s former school. We also passed the one year anniversary of my brother’s first surgery due to his cancer, and it has been one year since my fall and subsequent lumbar compression fracture. We are all three still facing challenges. Yet, we are all on the road to recovery.
Those who read M’s blog know she wrote a letter to her former school on her blog around the time of the anniversary. I am so proud that she chose to do so. She released her frustration and is continuing to work toward her goals although overcoming bullying is not easy.
Her anniversary coincided with the release of Lee Hirsch’s movie Bully in local theaters. Those who have been reading my blog know that the poor response it received in Honolulu disappointed me. I sincerely hope the schools will do a better job once it is on video.
I am especially disappointed that M’s former school made no effort to take the students to see it as I encouraged them to do, but they are making baby steps toward their bullying problem according to the chaplain and the elementary school assistant dean. I know both of them have their hearts in the right place and they both still express concern for M.
The high school dean is a different story, but I will not get into that here other than to say that M. still deserves an apology from the school and my request for this has fallen on deaf ears. Still, I will not give up. A new headmaster will be arriving in July, and I hope he will see that giving my daughter a formal apology is the right thing to do.
My brother had his fourth surgery recently, but he is on the mend and hopefully in a few weeks he will have his last surgery.
I was 80% better until I had a bad virus a few weeks ago. Now I am starting over with my walks and my exercises. I have faith I will get back to 80% since it really is only reconditioning and not another injury. I am still aiming for at least 90%, if not 100%. I am taking care of myself as I promised when I joined the Oxygen Mask Project.
Overall, life is good. M. is interacting with her friends again. I had a fabulous mother’s day. M. cooked my breakfast. My hubby and son and I went to see The Avengers. M. saw it the day before with her friend. Hubby even cooked lobster for dinner, so yes, life is good and I am still grateful.
Dear Aspie,
I understand how you might feel that way. There are people in this world who think we should all be like them. They make others feel bad about themselves. They do not understand that you have many gifts to offer the world. I want to share with you a favorite quote I came across again recently while reading Aspire: Discovering Your Purpose Through the Power of Words by Kevin Hall:
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight.
E.E. Cummings
This is the life of an Aspie, but I want you to know the fight is worthwhile.
Much of the book is Hall’s conversations with Professor Arthur Watkins, Master of Words. Hall is not learning the words for the first time, rather he is learning more about the origin of words and the power hidden within words. I am only beginning the book, but I want to share with you the definition of two words.
The Hindu word, namasté (pronounced nah-mah-STAY). According to Hall, Mahatma Gandhi once told Albert Einstein, “Namasté. It means I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides. I honor the place in you of light, love, truth, peace, and wisdom.” Hall notes, “It recognizes that no one, not one soul, in the human family is exempt from receiving gifts that are uniquely his or her own.” He goes on to describe every individual as authentic.
Arthur Watkins noted authentic comes from two words one means self and one means being. Therefore, authentic “means being yourself.”
Hall states, “Namasté salutes authenticity. Society often does not.”
I think it should.
Many are trying to change this and they are true inspirations. I believe your generation will be the one to truly change the world to a kinder and more accepting place. Please stay around to see it happen and please celebrate your uniqueness for it really is a good thing.
Delightfully Different Life 