(Etsy) I'm not a real believer in coincidences. When I sense coincidences occuring in my life, I tend to look around a little to see if perhaps something more profound is at work than mere happenstance. So, when three different people, in three different settings, with whom I have three very different relationships all suggested the same thing within a week, I took note.
Have you thought about forgiving?
I will be honest - in all three situations I allowed myself to disengage from the conversation (while still nodding politely and saying all of the right things) and I imagined a place where:
People don't say hurtful things.
People don't do cruel things.
People don't blatantly seek to do harm.
People are mindful of others.
People are held accountable for their actions.
People apologize.
Then I asked all three of them, "How about a little less focus on me forgiving, and a little more focus on the people who have done the things that need to be forgiven!" Then I thought of a few other things that I really wanted to say - a few things, that probably put me in the category of needing to ask their forgiveness.
I now find myself...
Contemplating CS Lewis "On Forgiveness".
Thinking about 1 Nephi 7:21 (emphasis on frankly).
Considering making space in my life for this possibility.
It's a process right?!
