Not, Always, Easy, But...The RIGHT Thing To Do!

     Last evening, I watched a movie, based on a real-life, incident, occurring, in 2006, in Lancaster, PA, whereby a local, man, and, a person, familiar to the Amish Community, as he was their 'Milkman', one, October, morn, barricaded himself, and, 10 young, girls, within the schoolhouse, the Amish children attended, proceeding to shoot them all, killing 5, and, then, turning the gun on himself. This story was pain-filled and, for me, very, painful to watch; Yet, it was, also, very, moving, and, beautiful, in it's own-right, as it dealt, so well, with the topic of forgiveness. The perpetrator was a married-man, with children of his own. He had an 'issue' with God, as he and his wife had, recently, lost a child on the day she was born, and, he, in his grief, evidently, decided to punish God and, the Amish, whose own daughters were alive and healthy. Grief, which is filled with hatred is a damaging thing, and, hardens the hearts of those filled by it. Within the God-fearing, Christian, community of the Amish, lies a belief-system, which, does not allow for hatred to exist; Nor, did these, amazing, strong, and, resilient, souls, whose, very own, innocents, had been gunned-down, show hatred toward the man, responsible for this heinous act, or, his family. Instead, the Amish chose forgiveness, as difficult, a deed as it was, for them, and, can be for anyone, in this, life. I was once a person, harboring hatred, within my heart and soul; This, based on many, years, spent in unfortunate circumstance. However, many, years, ago, I came to realize the need to forgive a certain, person, in my life, as by continuing to feel animosity and resentment, I was preventing my own happiness, and, the ability to move forward. Some folks who know me, and, know of my past, life and situation(s), are amazed, and, stupefied, by my 'forgiving' this, party. I, on the other hand, am so grateful, that, I had the 'presence of mind', to come to such a place, within myself, as to understand the importance of such an act. For, you see, true, forgiveness is NOT about the other person, the one who has caused pain and sadness; No...forgiveness, in it's genuine-form, is about understanding, that, without it, we allow ourselves to be 'punished' and, prevent our, own, happiness, in the process. A heart, filled with hatred, has no room for love to live within it; And, this, to me, is the quintessential, example, of how Christ wishes us to live; the, very, thing, that, Christianity, itself, is based upon. Just Sayin'...