Robin Hood and Little John runnin' through the forest, laughin' back and forth at what the other'n has to say. Oodalally oodalally golly what a day.
Sometimes there's nothing better than having some great friends with whom you can just sit back and relax, or sit hunched over with pain from laughing so much. Having just returned from a two-week long vacation, and feeling more stressed out than I have in a long time, I am feeling very grateful for friends that I have.
If anyone has ever felt like they couldn't be themselves, had to meet expectations that were not your own, or ben verbally put-down to be made to feel less than who you knew you were, you may understand me. I admit that I can be forgetful at times, thoughtless other times, and even occasionally selfish- who isn't? However, although I have these pitfalls, I have
friends who understand that we are all a work in progress and need support instead of having these faults pointed out. Understanding how others feel and being slow to judge is a characteristic that I greatly admire in my acquaintances. Another one that is paramount to having any kind of relationship whatsoever is forgiveness. Boy, has my testimony about this last point really grown over the past couple of years, and especially the last couple of days. I guess it all started with a visitor to my high school. She came just as any other orator would, and we gathered as any other high school might- happy to be out of class for an
hour. She began by distinguishing herself as being the author of the book, "Four Perfect Pebbles" (http://www.fourperfectpebbles.com/index2.html)
The woman is Marion Lazan and has been traveling around the world making money from her unfortunate experience with the Nazis. I completely agree that this was one of the most horrific occurrences in the history of the world. She happened to be one of the few fortunate ones to survive the holocaust, and has every right to tell her story to keep the memory alive as a warning. Although this may be a good thing for the younger generations to hear about, how does it help other survivors of the holocaust and herself?
I have pondered this many times since hearing her speak. The idea of forgiveness is a difficult one to accept, especially at times like these. However, I am one to take the opinion that forgiveness is not only for other people, but is even more for you than them. After reciting her memorized speech, the opportunity for questions was given. Questions had been prepared before hand, and were posed by some seniors. The questions varied from wondering what the camps were like, how she felt, and what happened to the four pebbles she gathered. The question that interested me most was a bold one: Will you ever forgive Hitler for what he did? She paused for a moment as she thought this over, and firmly gave her answer: no. Anyone who was even associated with the cause of the Holocaust, should never be forgiven. At first this seems reasonable- one of the greatest sins is murder, and they murdered more than just a single child of God. But when the matter at hand is looked at closer, what sense does it make to not forgive someone- even someone as vile as Hitler? Is he not also a child of God? Are we the ones to put him in the depths of damnation? Hitler has died, and is no longer our concern. But we are still alive, and we live with ourselves and our feelings. Sure, Marion makes a lot of money saying that hitler was the embodiment of everything evil, and lives with the past and the hard feelings she has with the people involved. How does that help her soul? In the large scheme of things, will she find happiness and relief by holding on to those feelings of hate? Many prophets have spoken on this subject and shown that failing to forgive hurts you more than that person deserving the forgiveness. But, quoting He who showed the greatest forgiveness, "Ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men." (D&C 64:9-10).
Ok, off of my soap box, it seems a lighter world. We don't usually have to deal with people like Hitler every day. But we do deal with normal citizens and people from all different kinds of backgrounds. So, someone took your parking spot? Are you going to get over it and have a good day, or glare them down as they waltz proudly into the supermarket? Will you grumble about them to other people and remember how angry you were when they took the cherished spot you had been patiently waiting for for 10 minutes? I am so glad that there are those out there who will quietly see things that I do and understand that I am also working at the same things they are. Thank you for your example and lessons that you teach me by being my good friends every day.
