Fly A Kite Across The River
A distinguishing characteristic of a person who lives with God is his forgiving nature. Has someone wronged him, exploited him? If so, he forgives even before forgiveness is asked. And
Have I fallen out with someone and been separated from him by a gulf so wide that it cannot be bridged? he lives a life of beauty and blessedness. Such a person is indeed rich.
I was reading about the Niagara Falls. A bridge had to be built across the Falls. For this, they needed to fix a rope across the river to start the suspension bridge. The waters of the river were too swift and turbulent to take the rope across in a boat. What did they do? They flew a kite across the river. When it reached the other side, a cord was tied to its string. Finally, a rope was tied to the cord. That was the beginning of the. A telephone wire can be the string of the kite—and a bridge suspension bridge that spans the Niagara Falls. Let me fly a kite to him, of loving thoughts and forgiveness of reconciliation built by a mere phone call. Forgiveness is the precious lubricant which keeps all our relationships smooth and friction-free.
Let us learn to forgive. Thomas Fuller said, “He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself, for every man has the need to be forgiven.” An individual grows or evolves to higher levels of consiousness in the measure in which he is able to express the quality of forgiveness. All our great ones have been men and women of forgiveness. Even so, forgiveness is not the monopoly of the great. Simple souls, humble men and women have practised the art of forgiveness to perfection.
A house in which a man and his ten-year-old daughter lived was attacked by outlaws. The father died in the scuffle. The outlaws spared the life of the girl, Melanie, but blinded her. Ten years later, Melanie was sitting by the roadside, when she heard footsteps and a voice which frightened her. “Who is it?” she called out, “Be careful, because I am blind.” “I know you are,” replied one of the outlaws. “I am the man who killed your father and blinded you. I just tried to hold up a passer-by and he shot me. I am going to die. I beg you to forgive me.”
Melania shuddered with anger but controlled herself, forgave the criminal and exhorted him to repent. When the man was dead, she groped for his eyes and gently closed them like a loving daughter.
Part 5 of 5
Forgiveness, in contrast to retaliation, is not an instinctive or spontaneous impulse. If we are hurt, almost as a reflex, we are conditioned to think, “I’ll fight back – I’ll do to you what you did to me.” On the other hand, forgiveness has to be cultivated. It is a well-considered, well-thought out emotional choice that we make to forgive freely, those who have hurt us. Because forgiveness does not just consist of mouthing the words, “I forgive you.” It involves letting go of anger, resentment, hurt and bitterness. It allows us to heal the other – and be healed ourselves in the process.
The ‘F’ of Forgiveness is Freedom. Forgiveness sets us free from the hurts, which otherwise would continue to prick us, for as long as memory lasts. Today at 2 pm, observe a Moment of Calm in unison; think thoughts of forgiveness towards everyone.