May these two great forces be with us

A very dear and long-time friend of mine – a person who probably knows me better than I know myself in so many ways – called me on the phone nearly two years ago to tell me she had passed an important milestone in her life. She revealed that she had woken up that morning and, surprisingly, had miraculously shed an anger and disgust over another person who had rattled her bones and soul over the hurting of another close to her.

I woke up and felt this amazing peace and sense of forgiveness. Don’t know why and can’t exactly explain it all, but I suspect it was God’s way of just saying’ let it go’!  she said with a bit of giddiness and relief in her voice. So I have, and that’s the end of it. I just wanted to share that with you and I feel good about it!

I can misquote and misinterpret Hebrew and Greek scriptures with the best of them, but this proclamation came as close to any I ever have heard in explaining the tenets of Judeo- Christian beliefs. This declaration truly was an old and new testament of what it means to move faith forward.

Solid science teaches us there are fundamental forces guiding the universe: There are always strong and weak electromagnetic and atomic forces constantly at work which can create, alter or destroy life. Gravity always wins. And the vast expanse of time and universes, seen and unseen are far beyond our observation and our comprehension.

There are two less-scientific but more powerful forces at work which are far more difficult to grasp, at least for me. Love and forgiveness. The one I follow boiled the first one down to its purest form: Love the one who made you with all your heart and soul and mind. And by the way – love everyone else as you should love yourself.  There you go folks – Cliff Notes for understanding the literature of the Author of us all.

No loopholes, but give it more than just your best shot. That’s a hard thing and seemingly impossible thing to do in a world filled with so many purposely hateful people.  You don’t have to have a particular faith, denomination or belief at all to understand this challenge if you’re of good heart and intentions.

And that second part, forgiveness, the most elusive force to harness. Most remember the cry of the agonized man as the nails were driven through his wrists and feet. But there is an even more compelling scene the night before when he and his closest fraternity sit down the night before to share a sundown dinner. As they enter the room, their leader kneels, removes their sandals and washes each one’s dusty, smelly feet. Even the fellow who would sell him out and set the stage for his teacher’s execution the next day walked away with a modest yet sincere pedi.

Okay, at one time or another we are all victims of circumstance, wacky karma or own bad choices. Man, I have a chain of them longer than Marley’s ghost limping with that weight and moaning outside of Scrooge’s bedroom window.  

We are taught to seek justice and payback when we are wronged. That’s our nature and quite understandable. However, Gandhi had it right when he said, An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind.  

I know this guy who has carried the burden of guilt and terrible fallout over bad decisions and others’ inabilities to forgive. He slowly yet perceptibly is slowly emerging from that cocoon and understanding the most difficult adversary furlough: Himself. But he is well on that path.

At some point, you just have to have to wake up one morning with a clean and clear mind and move forward.

Love and forgiveness is a marriage of the most powerful cosmic force and we hold both in our hearts and hands. They are a gracious gravity which never fails.