Mary’s
Minute
“Getting
even has never healed a single person.”
~ Eva
Kor
Fifty
years after she was liberated from Auschitz, Eva Kor stood on the platform at
the same location and pledged her personal forgiveness to the Nazis and Dr.
Mengele for the atrocities to her and her family. From that point until
her recent death Eva Kor spread a message of the power of forgiveness, in
addition to remembering the holocaust, and she felt that the act of forgiveness
changed her life.
As I
listened to Eva’s thoughts on forgiveness that continue to be shared through a
foundation created in her name, I remembered something I recently
thought. I said, “People who forget, but do not forgive are bitter. People who forgive, but do not forgive are at
peace. People who forgive and forget are happy.” I think my notion may need some work because
Eva Kor emphasizes the need to forgive, but not to forget. My idea was that
people who forgive and forget live in a zone of ignorant bliss.
I
think I live my life basically at peace. I forgive, but I can’t
forget. I really was thinking that if I
could both forgive and forget, I could be happier. I now believe that
being at peace -- forgiving, but never forgetting is the surest way to peace,
even if there is still some pain.
This
may all sound confusing, but I encourage you to think of an experience or
person that has brought you pain. Then think of forgiveness, as well as
the power to totally forget it ever happened.
I think sometimes forgiving and forgetting is the easy answer to finding
happiness. The path to learning and true peace, though, can come from
forgiveness, while holding onto the memory.
Have a great week!
Mary
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