Dan and I are going to one this week. We don't yet know the exact time or location, just the date, but hopefully, we'll find out before it's time to leave. It's always so much easier to go to a reunion for your own side of the family. Kudos to Dan for attending mine with me, and kudos to me for going to his! I feel close to his siblings and their children, but nervous about the other relatives. Our main motivation for traveling is the chance to be in the company of three of our faraway grandkids, Jaxon, Kade, and Sophia. An extra bonus is that I'll get to see my sister, Julie, while we're at it.
Greg and I were just saying last night how hard it is to believe that our all-time best Dan Washburn family reunion, held at Bear Lake, was just two short years ago. So much has happened since then. Mostly bad, sad stuff. That's one of the reasons we really make an effort now to enjoy the small moments and downplay the drama that so many get hung up on these days. We just don't have the time or interest in that kind of stuff anymore. Life can be so much better than the he-said-she-said typ of entanglements. At least, that's our goal. We don't always manage to stay out of the fray, but we're trying! Which brings me to the topic I promised to tackle in a previous post, that of what does forgiveness really mean.
The answer is: I don't know! Some ecclesiastical leaders I trust say that it means to completely forget an offense. Here's my dilemma with that though. Let's say someone intentionally hurts you, and you forgive them. This pattern continues for several years, with each hurt cutting a little more deeply than the last. It seems wisest to me to remember the pattern, and to remove yourself from their strike zone, to minimize the risk of further damage at their hands. At the same time, you continue to pray for them, to be concerned for their welfare, to hope for the best for them, but you leave it between them and God. Isn't that forgiveness too? I hope it is, because that's all I've been able to come up with thusfar. However, any insights are welcome.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Family Reunion Whine Time
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2 comments:
I personally think you nailed it. I was listening to the radio a few weeks ago (the host is lds and speaks on families etc) and the topic was forgiveness. Lori Hackings mom called in (Lori was killed by her husband bid news a few years back) but she said something that I loved. She said forgiveness doesn't mean the pain is no longer there (how could you ever losed the pain of losing a child?) but it means that the anger is no longer there. I thought that was perfect.
(sorry long comment)
Liz, Lori Hacking's Mom's comment is wonderful! Thanks for passing it along. I remember the case well. And when truth is concerned, length is nothing to apologize for!
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