Hope

I’m still trying to process what happened at our nation’s capitol last week. It is Sunday morning, a cold, crisp, clear winter morning. The new moon, a delicate sliver, lingers in the cloudless, pale blue sky. The world seems so quiet, so peaceful, if only for this moment.

On Wednesday, as I watched the chaos unfold, I was yelling, yelling at the TV, yelling at my husband. Yelling, this is not good, this cannot be happening! I was in shock, an angry shock. Our country is not perfect. The freedom and opportunities that we claim as our bedrock are not equally available to all. But we have the opportunity to strive for them, fight for them and so many good people do just that, making this country a place where hope exists. So to see the circus descend on the place often called one, encouraged by the head clown, sucked all the hope out of me.

But I refuse to live without hope.

I hope the foundation that our country was built on is strong enough to see us through this tumultuous time.

I hope the laws that have been created to give everyone a chance at a good life are respected and abided.

I hope that every single American, regardless of political ideology, takes a pause, a collective breath, and simply stops for a minute. . . just stop for one minute.

I hope the collective anger of people who are hurting, for many different reasons is transformed into forgiveness.

I hope we can each find forgiveness in our heart for those who have hurt us, assaulted our rights, affronted our values.

I hope we can forgive, not because the offender deserves it, but because we deserve to live without the anger that eats at us when we don’t forgive.
While we may not forget, and shouldn’t, forgiveness is our only hope for attaining peace in our lives, in our country, in our world.

I hope these words, by people much wiser than me, can inspire forgiveness.

“Weak people revenge, strong people forgive.” Albert Einstein

“Love the sinner, hate the crime.” Augustine of Hippo

“It is for God to punish wicked people. We should learn to forgive.” Emily Bronte

“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Jesus of Nazareth

“Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

“While revenge weakens society, forgiveness gives it strength.” 14th Dalai Lama

“Without forgiveness there is no future.” Desmond Tutu

“Forgiveness is the answer.” Maya Angelou

Imagine, just imagine what would happen if every single American, looked deep in their heart, at their hurts, and began the process of forgiveness. Would we not soften, just a little? Would the divisiveness lessen, just a tad? Would healing begin, dreams emerge, peace arise?

I can only hope.