Forgive – by Oscar E V Fernando
What does it mean-to forgive?
Is it to stop being angry with or pardon a person who has wronged you, there being a long list of words describing forgiveness such as-excuse-exonerate-absolve-
The writer opines-that the person who believes he is created in the image and likeness of the creator-described as the Source and Fountain of Love-it would appear that forgiveness is easier to him than to the person who does not believe that love is so etched in his being-for such a person is more likely to take instant revenge-like the immediate reaction of an animal that would swipe and kill another-on being attacked-this is a general aspersion
To the former-bearing the grudge without forgiving is like allowing a splinter to remain in his-eye ever unnaturally irritating him and is eager to be rid of-soon-but for the latter the irritating splinter is nurtured till it festers into a wound
Psychologists say forgiveness is a deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance towards another who has harmed you, regardless of whether he actually deserves your forgiveness-like Christ from his cross forgiving his crucifiers
It is traditionally admonished-to forgive and forget
but can one forget a wrong done against you?
For example, if you are slapped by someone in front of an audience-will you be able to forget that incident- you may turn the other cheek as a willful choice and a gesture of instantly forgiving him-but-but will your photogenic mind “dis-enclave” the painful slap from the gesture of forgiveness?
No!
does it imply that you have not forgiven him?
No!
in forgiving you singularly let go of vengefulness-say, at the very moment of turning the other cheek and it is a willful gesture-coming from your free will stamped in you at creation
some do not comprehend this separation and thereby perpetuate the hatred for the slap-in a continued state of unforgiveness
If you bring to the foe the scene of the slap and allow it to fester each time it is brought up-with ideas of revenge and vengeance the splinter in your eye will soon end up in a sore eye-oozing with pus
on the other hand, if you release the concept of forgetting from the concept forgiving-and go on lovingly forgiving-you will soon realize you have set a prisoner free-and that-the prisoner so released is none other than you-yourself-
listen to the song accompanying this piece!
Also-read admonishments of these great minds-
heat not a furnace for your foe so hot that it will singe you said Shakespeare-
let’s never try to get even with our enemies, because if we do, we will hurt ourselves far more than we hurt them-said General Eisenhower-
let’s never waste a minute thinking about people we don’t like-when we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us: power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness-let’s not allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget- remember-life is too short to be little-
most of all-do not let your enemy dance with joy-to see you suffering-with that splinter in your eye-caused by him!
the same applies to communities in a nation that cannot see eye to eye and blindly continue warring to its own self-destruction
Let us consider an opinion-on our own country-glossing over stages of discontent over the years-
· Thirties-community in the north wanted a power devolution for no apparent reason
· Forties Minorities were enjoying plums of office for religious and linguistic reasons
· Fifties retaliatory actions on minorities
· Sixties most of private sector economy was nationalized
· Seventies simmering cold war bludgeoning into a furious war by nineties
· twenties continuation of turmoil
· presently building up another cold war
When will they ever realize that both parties could even now-discuss-repent-forgive and mutually remove that splinter from their eye?
None so blind as those who willfully do not wish to see!
Oscar E V Fernando
May 2021
“More on forgiveness”
