Forgiveness. All you said. I'm like you, there are some things I can never forgive. And I remind myself even if I forgive, or have been forgiven, or should forgive there are still consequences of whatever action was taken that must to be dealt with in some way. It's not just a slick "I forgive" now it's done, la dee dah, on our way. The young man that just killed that woman and 3 children? I can understand he was young, immature, so very foolish, and without strict parents but 4 very innocent people are dead. I figure that there is pretty much nothing I do in my life in this privileged country that isn't destroying something or harming someone inadvertently. Eating veggies shipped in from somewhere else - adding to pollution; using my cell, or this computer, that contain some precious metal some child some place is digging out of dangerous mine.... You know. And then there's the whole forgiving myself for all the hurt/harm I have caused and still do out of ignorance. Aaccckk! It's too big!!
Forgiveness. All you said. I'm like you, there are some things I can never forgive. And I remind myself even if I forgive, or have been forgiven, or should forgive there are still consequences of whatever action was taken that must to be dealt with in some way. It's not just a slick "I forgive" now it's done, la dee dah, on our way. The young man that just killed that woman and 3 children? I can understand he was young, immature, so very foolish, and without strict parents but 4 very innocent people are dead. I figure that there is pretty much nothing I do in my life in this privileged country that isn't destroying something or harming someone inadvertently. Eating veggies shipped in from somewhere else - adding to pollution; using my cell, or this computer, that contain some precious metal some child some place is digging out of dangerous mine.... You know. And then there's the whole forgiving myself for all the hurt/harm I have caused and still do out of ignorance. Aaccckk! It's too big!!
I feel you, Peggy. It's a lot. Love your reflections, including on forgiving ourselves <3