“Are you still nursing a forty-year hatred?” He wagged a crooked finger at me, his black eyes bright and hard behind his glasses. His unexpected rage felt like a ten-foot tsunami. I planted myself against the onslaught. Leaning on her hoe, my mother watched us, silent. Behind me, Jerry grasped my shoulder. A few feet …
Tag Archives: Sexual abuse
Power to Make Peace
We can choose forgiveness long before we feel forgiving. In fact, we will choose to cancel the debt before we feel like it. If we wait until we feel like it, we’ll never forgive. Releasing the pursuit of revenge involves several factors. Identifying the sin, identifying and feeling our emotions, developing empathy for the sinner, …
Abusers are Good at Evil
In the wake of the allegations against Penn State’s Jerry Sandusky, I give thanks for the national conversation about sexual violation. Is Mr. Sandusky guilty? I don’t know. He has the hallmarks of an abuser. I’m also grateful that stories accusing others of abuse are being taken more seriously. As we consider how to protect our own children and …