Letting Go and Learning to Forgive
We all have pasts. And in those pasts there are hurts and heartaches. In being able to forgive those hurts and heartaches, we heal .
The year was 1957. Spring Mill State Park in Indiana.
In the picture are my Aunt Sara, my grandfather, my Mom, my wonderful cousin Charlie who was the big brother I never had and who went to Viet Nam as a Marine and came back different..and finally me.
My Mom was 31 years old in this photograph. She wasnt to know that in a short 7 years, she would be widowed with a 13 year old daughter to finish raising. She had no idea the long and painful journey her life was going to take.
Today is her birthday. The people in this photograph helped get me thru the years after my Dad died. Mostly because she wasnt able to do much of anything except drink herself into oblivion and take her lot in life, out on me. I hated her for that and couldnt understand why she couldnt love me.
I no longer hate her and much of that has to do with the fact that my Aunt Sara and my Grandfather and my cousin Charlie, gave me love and hope. Without them, I havent a clue where I would be.
But the real story today is that its my Mom's birthday in heaven where there is no more pain and where she is reunited with my Dad and where all the hurts of life on earth, ceased to exist.
And so, all these years later and especially as I grow older, I understand and I forgive.
And more than anything, I very much wish that I could be singing Happy Birthday to her today.
