Sunday, October 25, 2009

Learning to Forgive....a profound and heartfelt video

I watched this video from youtube at my blog friends Yang Jun's Blog. I thank him for helping me to work on myself by his posting this video...now I pass it on to others in hopes of us all working on healing our wounds from the past. This video is based on the last words in the entry of Mary Karen Reads journal before her death. She was killed in the Virginia Tech shootings.

Love and Blessings,

Rhi

6 comments:

goatman said...

I hope that is not too dark, but you brought it up: (please delete if you feel like it, I will not feel badly)
This reminds me of the last words of my cousin Little Susan (her mom was Susan) written in a log for the job she had guarding a carlot in Albuquerque late into the night 2 years back. She had written "all is well" shortly before she was beaten by a gang stealing wheels off of a new mustang car about 2 am as she approached the bunch of 4 to quell their activity. She died a week or so later of the injuries.

Death is so there, right around the corner, as we press on and play like we will live forever!

Kylita said...

That was a remarkable presentation.
On my home, just as I had to turn out of the bldg I work at, there was a little half grown cat dead in the road, so I stopped the car and turned it off, grabbed a bunch of kleenex and went and picked it up. Its head was run over but it was still limp, not stiff ... I put it in the grass by a fence and put all the kleenex over its head and then I felt like I was choking and couldn't breathe, another "little death" that I mourned hard and quickly for, and at first was "blaming" whoever ran over it, then realizing one time I myself had run over a cat that ran out in front of me and had to go back and see it in the road, only its head run over .... why am I writing this in response to this video? I don't know, I only know that to forgive and be forgiven is one of the most healing and humbling things ... and often most difficult, until it is done. On my way to work there is a church marquee saying: "Get even, forgive and forget."
Thanks, Rhi, for posting this. We can never know the pain that could possibly live within another, even those who seem self-contained or arrogant or angry or ??? peaceful.
Thanks to Goatman also. There just isn't always an answer to why things happen and for us who are always asking, "Why?" it is difficult to accept that.
Love to you...KLH xo

Unknown said...

Rhi
its kind of funny that my poem put you to mind of women who ran with wolves because when I lived in Denver I ran a poetry open mic and Clarissa was a regular reader there this was in the 90s when she was working on the book and would read from the manuscript. Also we did a number of reading she and I. I have lost touch with her over the years but I use to call her mother Clarissa because she was very motherly to everyone that she came across. She was a wonderful woman kind and caring. Back then she got a grant and wanted to publish my first book but we bumped heads over the poems to use and because of my stuboness the deal fell through.Judgeing from the manuscript I knew that the book was going to be big but I had no ideal that it would be as big as it has gotten. When it comes to six degrees of seperation you can now add her to your knowing her through me.
All my love
David

Unknown said...

This was very moving, Rhi and a profound lesson for each of us. When I interviewed Brian & Janelle Jones on my Blog feature "The Interview", I was struck by Janelle's sincere belief that if we all stop running the rat race and treat each other with kindness one person at a time, the world can change. Thanks for reminding me with such a powerful message. There is Hope!

Commander Zaius said...

I like to make myself believe that I am above all the cruelty and pettiness that surrounds us all but yesterday I did something, that while small in scope of things, I feel profoundly ashamed of now.

I work third shift and while trying to sleep yesterday someone knocked on my door sending the dog into a barking spasm. Already frustrated by several phone calls and both the cat and dog playing while I tried to sleep I jumped up and went to the door to answer it.

Some guy that I believe had been at my door maybe months ago to sell something was standing on my front porch and while I tried to listen to him explain what he wanted and keep the dog from running outside I heard him say something about money for a soccer team.

I interrupted the guy stopping him from talking and told him I didn't have time for this. I pretty much slammed the door in his face and stumbled back to bed.

Once my mind came back online I worried that I misunderstood him and that I caused him some issue beyond the reason he was at my door.

its just that small pettiness that turns my stomach when I see others do it but yet in an unthinking moment I did it myself. I just hope I have the chance to correct my behavior and be forgiven cause these small things add up.

That video really hit me.

Seraphine said...

that was a very powerful and moving video, rhiannon.
you're right, you can't forget what happens, but one of the things you *can* control is whether to hate or to forgive.