No forgiveness doesn't equate forgetting. For one I'm not sure that is
even possible in of our selfs, well minus a traumatic experience, but not
only that, we obtain wisdom and understanding from not forgetting. If we
are sucked into a bad situation by say accepting a ride from a stranger,
and things turn out not good, we learn to not do that in the future. I did
such back in the 90's, albeit nothing bad happened, I did learn. . While
at a blindness adjustment center in the Twin Cities, a friend and I went
to the store, bought a bit more groceries than we anticipated, called a
cab and waited, and waited and waited and waited. No cab. But this
other young gentleman saw us waiting and offered us a ride. Before I
could say, "No, thanks anyway", my friend opened up his yap and said "yea
sure". My friend being older than I, and fairly knowledgeable in such
things surprised me. Anyway This young guy was clean cut and drove a
fairly newer car and prominently displayed a Bible on the dash and a
swinging Jesus, I say swinging Jesus 'cause he was on a chain swinging
from the rear view mirror. almost too prominently displayed as if to say
"you can trust me". Anyway, I jump in the back passenger side of the car,
slam the door, and my buddy and the guy are tossing the rest of the
goods in the trunk. I think to myself "Oh shoot, I want to check to see if
we got every thing out of the cart" I go to get out, and there is no door
handle, it had been removed. I doubt broken cause like I say, it was a
nice neat clean and newer car. As I recall the other rear door was also
missing the handle. I had no way of letting my friend know in time before
he jumped in so we could bale out before we became a six o'clock news
statistic. Fortunately this man brought us to the apartment as promised,
and perhaps he was a nice kind young man with a Bible on the dash and a
swinging Jesus on the mirror, and just happened to have two back doors
without handles, but I know I'll never take such offers again in a metro
downtown area or anywhere for that matter. My friend can if he wants, but
I ain't lol. So although there is nothing much to forgive, I will not
forget, and have learned because of that unforgetness. Similar is the
benefit from a situation requiring forgiveness.
Brad
Brad
on 02:01 PM 7/23/2005, Rhonda said:
That sure is an interesting thought! I wonder though as huans can we
truly
forget, or is it rather that we don't make it a practice to daily or
weekly
list the offenses others have commited against us?
I've been married for almost 21 years now, and I know there many times
that
through word or action I have hurt the one I promised to love till death
do
us part, and he has hurt me. And if I wanted too, I could remember some
of
the deepest hurts, there is a memory of them, but the pain of them is not
something that hinders my love for Ben, because I love him I have forgiven
him, and as time goes by, I find it more dificult to recall speciffic
worda
and actions. I was thinking of Angel here, and the rape of her daughter,
a
horriffic event, I am sure she will never forget, so what do you all
think?
Does forgiveness mean total forgetfullness?
Rhonda
|
