“Forgiveness
is to set the prisoner free, and to realize that the prisoner was you” (Lewis
Smead). Is it possible to fully forgive a person for an ungodly act committed
against you? Let’s ask rape victims, or abuse victims. Is forgiveness really an
act that a suffering human can actually achieve? Is it possible for a wife to
forgive her cheating husband? Or a daughter to forgive her abusive father? I
personally do not hold the key to these questions. I was fortunate to grow up
with good parents, in a good neighborhood, in a good time. Personally, I do not
know how anyone could forgive the Doctor that performed numerous ghastly
experiments that killed thousands of children and twins, but in Eva Kor’s
opinion “ Getting even has never healed a person” ( Forgiving Doctor Mengele,
2006) Eva Kor is a victim of Dr.
Mengele’s horrid human experiments. She is also the woman who spoke out to the
holocaust survivors and persuaded them to forgive Dr. Mengele. Some did not oblige
of course, however from her perspective “We must forgive, but never forget”.
When
we hold grudges it consumes who we are as a person. It is a complete waste of
time and energy to keep negative feelings inside of our bodies that will poison
our emotions and make the us the ones suffering. If one is to keep a grudge
inside of them as life continues on all of our negative feelings will be placed
on top of one another and will start to eat away at who we are. For example, Matthew age 20 is in jail for
assault. When Matthew was younger his father was a belligerent drunk. Matthew
has been holding onto the feelings of resentment and anger from being abused by
his dad since he was 9 years old. Matthews’s entire life has been built around
the anger and resentment that he has felt towards his dad since he was younger.
Through every negative situation Matthew encounters he will always struggle
with the anger that he has broiling under his skin. Keeping in anger such as
this, not encountering forgiveness is not the path for someone to live a
healthy lifestyle.
Now
we can see a woman, tortured for months in a concentration camp when she was a
child, only nine years old. She had to sit back and allow men and women touch
her, she had to watch as people all around her died of starvation and where
brutally murdered. She lost her parents at the hands of this, her other sisters
too. Eva and Miriam were Dr. Menegles twins, the man responsible for genetic
experiments done on children. Eva Kor started somewhat of a revolution today,
she is a spokesperson for herself and speaks out about forgiveness. Eva is much
rivaled by many holocaust survivors that believe that they should do anything
but forgive Dr. Menegle and the Nazi’s. Eva Koru speaks out about the truth
setting her free, she believes that the only way to find happiness is to
forgive, rivaled by many and supported by few she continues on her life to
speak out about setting herself free from the bonds of hatred and resentment.
Eva
Koru, a woman who suffered greatly in her childhood is an image of what the
world should be like. She doesn’t let her past define who she is; she will not
give those that hurt her satisfaction to know that she is forever affected by a
tragedy. Where would the world be if forgiveness was granted to each person who
had the ability to give it? I don’t believe that there would be as many wars
that occurred; I think that more love could be found in the deepest corners of
the world. If everyone was set free of their resentment the world may be able
to finally find peace. The ability to forgive is in the hands of the one who
suffered, however that power if not used correctly could damage a person inside
more than the action against did.
“The weak cannot
forgive, that is an attribute of the strong” (Gandhi) it takes a big person to
forgive their enemies, it also takes a person with a big heart to forgive when
a selfish act was committed against them. However hard it is for someone to
bear, it is the quickest route to recovery and one step closer to being whole
again. Eva Kor is living proof, a woman who put aside her resentment and past
to take a step in forgiving a man with as tainted of a life as he lived. If Eva
Kor can forgive Dr. Menegle, why can’t we forgive those who trespass against
us? Forgiveness is a key to freedom, I urge everyone to let go of their past
and live free from hatred. It is never easy to forgive someone who has hurt
you. However I know that I am very thankful that people forgive me. People make
mistakes, however it is solely your choice to forgive and forget or carry the
baggage with you forever.
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