Last night I watched the TV movie Amish Grace with my husband. I was familiar with the story. Oct. 2, 2006, a man walked into an Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania and shooting, left five girls dead and five seriously
wounded before taking his own life. What was remarkable about the story was the fact the parents of the children and the Amish community forgave the shooter and befriended his widow and children. They forgave so that bitterness and anger wouldn't turn into hostility... they would not close their hearts.
The movie brought me to tears so many times. The level of forgiveness that was given in the midst of such profound pain touched the depths of my soul. My heart opened and I wondered had I forgiven all that I needed to. This was the potential of the human race....to rise above our violence, our personal pains, our desire for revenge and justice, to choose love no matter what. Forgiveness is not easy, as the Amish at the time said,
"...forgiveness is a journey, that you need help from your community of faith and from God, and sometimes even from counselors, to make and hold on to a decision to not become a hostage to hostility. "
Bill Moyer covers this remarkable story in his 6 min. review of the book, Amish Grace. It's worth a look.
