I have heard of stories of families who have had their children brutally murdered publicly forgive those that have committed the crimes. Yes, the convicted murderers still received justice but the power in forgiveness blesses that family and the people around them.

Forgiveness is actually a form of leadership.

The challenge in forgiving is that part of it involves swallowing one’s pride and having the courage to confront someone, which isn’t an easy combination to create. Particularly if the offender was in an authoritative position to the offendee. For example, is it easier or harder to confront one’s boss or a police officer? There is also the surrender aspect to forgiveness that may make difficult for some people to understand and use properly. If x forgives y, that doesn’t mean x is weaker than y for having to forgive.

I’d question the acceptability of it, but I can picture some horrible situations where someone could not forgive the offense. Yes it is rather big and seemingly outlandish,e.g. the 2 volumes of “Kill Bill” come to mind for the kind of highly dramatic offense one could imagine.

The book I’m currently reading, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” seems to cover this kind of topic repeatedly from slightly different angles. The first principle of, “Don’t Criticize, Condemn, or Complain,” seems to fit perfectly with where people may find fault in the world. Words of sincere appreciation, coming from the heart is the second principle which is also applicable here in terms of what you call blessings. Just an interesting thought in seeing things I’ve read in a book that is rather old in some ways with the original written in the 1930s yet the book sells well. I think that’s enough ramblings for now.

Thanks again Ed.

With Love,

Cat