Dear Friends,
I prepared this touchstone on Saturday afternoon and set it for Monday morning. I'm adding this introduction on Sunday, as we learn about the mass shooting in Orlando.
Ironically, strangely, sadly...this touchstone reflects on another senseless shooting. It is largely about forgiveness and
keeping our hearts open; it was not consciously intended to comment on this most recent massacre.
However, as we pray for the victims and their families, let's pray also that our hearts will remain open to love. Let's pray for healing and for guidance. How do we wisely address terrorism? How do we foster respect, understanding, and peace among us, among all of humanity?
No matter how much we suffer with hurt and anger, may we always
ultimately turn not toward hate and fear but toward building harmony and love within us and among us.
Charlene
"Every life has its dark and cheerful hours. Happiness comes from choosing which to remember."
~ Amish
proverb
This Amish proverb, sent to me by a subscriber-friend, reminds me of the film Amish Grace. The reflection below is longer than usual. It's actually a re-posting of a 2012 blog on my website about the film. For some reason I'm feeling led to share a portion of that message with you now. So, here it is:
Amish
Grace is a fictionalized portrayal of what happened in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, on October 2, 2006. On that day, a troubled man entered the one-room Amish school there, shot 10 girls, and then killed himself. Five of those girls died immediately or soon afterwards. Five were seriously wounded.
The focus of Amish Grace is not on the violence but on what happened in the aftermath of the
massacre.
In the film we see that, on the very same day of the horrific event, three Amish men go to the gunman’s home and offer condolences to the gunman’s widow and her family. They express concern for her young children. They tell her that they hold no grudge or judgment against her. They forgive her husband. They even offer to help.
The world watches in amazement.
Reporters ask, “Is the forgiveness real? Or is it an act? If it’s real, how can it be?”
Watching the film, we learn that the forgiveness was real. We learn that the Amish forgive because, from early childhood they are taught that they must forgive. But, forgiveness does not always come easily. In fact, the main character repeatedly screams that she cannot–and will not–forgive the murder of her daughter. It is not
until that mother learns that her daughter died showing kindness toward the gunman and praying for him that the mother is able to let go of hating the murderer.
Another powerful scene is when a young girl declares that she too hates the man who did it. Her father patiently inquires about how the hate feels. “Does it feel good inside?” he asks his daughter.
“Not very good,”
the child answers.
The father then teaches his daughter about hate and its consequences. First, he acknowledges the hate that she feels. He makes room for it. Only after showing acceptance and understanding of his daughter’s feelings does he go on to describe how “hate is a big thing with sharp teeth. It will eat up your whole heart and leave no room for love.”
As I watched
that scene, I understood like never before: Hate can eat up our hearts and leave no room for loving.
For our own health and happiness, we must forgive. And with grace, we can. (Original post: July 23, 2012)
May we clear our hearts and make room for love, for healing, and for happiness by focusing on the good in ourselves, in one another, in our lives, and in the world.
Always with hope,
Charlene
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