Skip to main content

They Know Not What They Do



What is forgiveness, and how important is it really?

TheFreeDictionary.com defines forgiveness thusly:

forgive [fəˈgɪv]
vb -gives, -giving, -gave, -given
1. to cease to blame or hold resentment against (someone or something)
2. to grant pardon for (a mistake, wrongdoing, etc.)
3. (tr) to free or pardon (someone) from penalty
4. (tr) to free from the obligation of (a debt, payment, etc.)
[Old English forgiefan; see for-, give]
forgivable  adj
forgivably  adv
forgiver  n

I seek not to understand forgiveness in any religious sense, for I am not religious, but in a common world view of things. Is it necessary? Is it important? Also, and perhaps most importantly, is forgiveness something that is done more for ourselves, or for the other person(s) involved? Does forgiveness need to be an internal, as well as external, act? Does someone have to ask for our forgiveness in order to provide it to them, or can it be unsolicited? And, finally, does everyone deserve forgiveness?

These thoughts occur to me from time to time. There are many occasions in life where we have both the choice to forgive, and to accept forgiveness from others. We are none of us perfect. I have wronged others, and they in-turn have wronged me. In many ways, we are probably not aware that someone has forgiven us our trespasses, nor that we have trespassed. This does make me wonder if forgiveness is a very personal act.

In my own life, there are those whom I could forgive, whether they be peers from school who made life hell on a daily basis through their bullying, or my deceased father whose hand was quick with the belt and whose words were often poorly chosen, to certain political opponents who've lacked graciousness and thoughtfulness. In all of these cases, I have forgiven, yet have not forgotten. One wonders if that is truly forgiveness?

And what of my own trespasses? How many have I wronged? How has it affected them? I am aware of some instances, but very likely not aware of many others. Is that normal, or particularly callous? Part of me wants to know the answers to these questions, part of my does not. Because, to be blunt, the past is past. Perhaps that is what forgiveness is all about?




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Yesterday's Restaurants

The local newspaper has a feature from one of Champaign-Urbana's most legendary restaurateur's, John Katsinas, on what his favorite area restaurants were that have now since closed (or will soon be closing).  It's a nice little read, and has made me stop and think about the restaurants that have come and gone that have left an indelible (and edible) impression on me throughout the years. Here we go....
Post a Comment
Read more

Watching The Hours

A Twitter friend named Paula has asked for folks to submit ideas for a blog-a-thon about what we think will be the classic films of the future. In other words, what relatively recent movies (namely, from the 21st century), do we think will be considered classics in the decades to come, possibly airing on such venerable stations as Turner Classic Movies ? While a number of films come to mind for such a category, one in particular stood out from the rest, and thus is my entry for Paula's blog-a-thon.
5 comments
Read more

She's Madonna

Today we're going to talk about something very important. We're going to talk about Madonna. "Madge," as she's affectionately known around the gay scene, has been making music for over thirty years. I grew up with her songs, many of them pop classics. In recent years, it can be arguably said that her popularity has waned a bit. During the past decade, Madonna has put out seventeen singles. Of those, three have charted in the US Top 40. Ten Failed to chart at all on the Billboard Hot 100. We now have at least one possibility offered as to why Madge's chart power is waning: Ageism. At least, that's what Diplo (just, Diplo), a producer of some of the tracks off her latest album, thinks . I know it's difficult to be objective about something you've worked on -- whether you were the producer or the artist -- but, as a listener/fan, I have to say that Madonna's most recent work has simply not been that good. Still, we'll hear what
Post a Comment
Read more