Here is part three Rachael Bachman's story on Kenny Wheaton. It is my favorite part of the story.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2009/11/for_kenny_wheaton_family_bring.html
Let's talk forgiveness today. Do you forgive easily? Does it take a while for you to forgive someone? I think all of us can forgive more easily than we forget but do we really forgive until we forget?
In the story the brother of Kenny Wheaton was killed by someone the Wheaton family had taken into their home and helped raise. Could you forgive someone close to you that killed a relative? I'm not sure I could.
What if someone asked if they could go home with you? Would you immediately worry about what they might steal from you? Would it motivate you to start a foundation to help people like that person that asked if they could go home with you?
That part of the Kenny Wheaton story reminded me of a scene in The Blind Side. For a month or two Michael was sleeping on the Tuey's couch. When it was decided that he was going to be living in the house on a more permanent basis, the Mom told Michael. "This is your room." "I've never had one before." "A room." "A bed." oesn't that just break your heart? A high school student that had never had a bed. Just like Kenny Wheaton found forgiveness in the three part story, in that one moment Michael found forgiveness of the way he was previously treated.
A hungry person steals some money from you so they can eat. That would be easy for me to forgive. A gossipy person spreads a false rumor about. They come to you and apologize. Maybe a little more difficult to forgive but still doable.
I think I forgive pretty easily. Although there was one thing in my past that I haven't really forgotten or forgave the in-law involved. After reading the Wheaton story I have finally decided to let it go. It is the final part of a tragic part in my history that I need to let go. I now forgive that relative for the cruelty of the letter sent me at the worst point in my life. Time to move on.
Anything or anybody in your past that you need to forgive or move on from? Today is the day, you can do it right here on the blog. And also tell me how easily your forgive and whether or not you think you haven't really forgiven until you have forgotten?
About Me
- William J.
- First, I think the birth sign is wrong. 6-21, some papers say Gemini, some Cancer. Guess that means I have so many personalities that I can do group therapy alone. For those that don't know how to read Google profiles I have put what I really mean in ( ). Hot (Good looking enough to be in movies(if I buy at ticket). A body like a God (Buddha). Romantic (Thinks begging is foreplay.) Physically fit (Heart trouble. Put 911 on speed dial before we get initmate.) Good Provider (has good life insurance in case you forget to put 911 on speed dial.) Loyal (has reference letters from Mom and parole officer.) Intelligent (scored 1600 on his SATS but you have to total the scores of the four times that I took the test.) Looking for someone compatible (Be between 30 & 99 and not inflatable.)
6 comments:
First, I'm not sure Kenny Wheaton forgave Colbert. I'm glad he agreed to do the mentoring program for kids whose fathers were in prison, and his foundation is a lovely thing. His mother forgave Colbert, but did he?
To your questions... I doubt I could forgive anyone who killed someone I loved, whether they had been close to me or not. Otherwise, I think I forgive quite easily. So easily that I can't think of anything left that I need to forgive. Not that I've forgotten all slights from the past, but I hardly ever think of them. They are over, and when/if one does surface in my mind, there's a brief moment of remembered anger or hurt, but it soon passes.
If someone asked if they could go home with me, I wouldn't worry about theft. My immediate worry would be the disruption of my life and whether I could deal with it and enrich that person's life. The answer would, I'm afraid, be no.
Hi Pat
You are just full of surprises. I didn't even think your were reading the series. After thinking about it maybe you're right, that he hasn't forgvien the shooter. Maybe he just moved on. I thought he might of forgiven since he agreed to help prisoners that were like the ones that killed his brother.
That makes to two of us that couoldn't forgive someone that killed a loved one.
And I probably wouldn't say yes to anyone coming home. I say probably because I am a moody sort and if I was just in the right mood I might say yes but in all probabily I'd say no.
Bill
I think forgiveness is a difficult issue to resolve and Lord knows I've read enough about it and ghostwritten about it and yet I'm still a bit confused, particularly when it gets mixed in with forgetting part. Then there's always the question of can we forgive the person, without forgiving the sin or actions. Sigh. I don't know.
I know it took me ten years or more to forgive the doctor who sent Daddy home to die, rather than immediately referring him to Mayo or another cancer hospital, which might have saved his life, had they been able to deal with the tumors before they attached to other organs. I did forgive him, but never understood his actions. Could I forgive someone who killed a family member? I don't know. I suspect that's why my youngest sister is so bitter and negative -- she feels the doctors killed her husband, by not exploring clinical tests and options.
Small slights I can forgive. Life related items, I'm not sure.
If someone asked to go home with me -- I've no idea. I rather suspect I'd look for other optons for them, options that might give them the nurturing and such I'm not at all sure I could provide.
I don't think there's anyone in my life I've not forgiven, maybe because whatever they did ended up creating some sort of positive, whether in later attitude or in circumstances or long term situations or resolutions or thought processes.
To be honest, I think the person I have the most trouble forgiving is myself and that's something I'm working on.
Ah, DR. I was wondering if anyone would bring that up. I too have more trouble forgiving myself than anyone else in my life. And I'm working on that. It's not easy.
Hi DR
I think I forgive myself easier than others which is probably why I make so many mistakes more than once. There are some intances in caring for dad that I haven't forgiven myself for or with mom either.
I was also an interesting point about forgiving the sin while not forgiving the person.
Bill
Mary
I can't really imagine you doing anything that would need forgiving.
Imho, you and Dr need to quit being so hard on yourself!
Bill
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