As we grow older, we are constantly reminded that life can be difficult and complicated. We may strive to be perfect, but we are imperfect; we make mistakes; we hurt others intentionally and unintentionally, and we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Many years ago, I was fortunate to hear Dick LaFever share his personal and touching story about the power of forgiveness. I learned that in many ways, forgiveness is misunderstood. It is not about minimizing the hurts and wrongs that are real and painful. It is not about forgetting, but we need not let the offense dominate our lives. It is not about condoning or excusing the act, although there may come a time when reasons are better understood. It is not the same as reconciliation, for the offender does not need to be a part of our future. And forgiveness is not a sign of either weakness or saintliness, but an expression of human strength.
We carry with us conscious and unconscious hurts that bind us to the past, unable to enjoy and explore the future with passion and love. And although it is extremely difficult and may take time, forgiveness can set us free. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “Without forgiveness there is no future”.
As we move closer to our own sunset and realize the importance of the years remaining, Joan Chittister, in her book “The Gift of Years,” asks, do we really want to waste any more time on the grievances we hold — no matter how legitimate and hurtful? Do we want to be like the men Alfred Lord Tennyson describes? “Two aged men, that had been foes for life, / Met by a grave, and wept — and in those tears / They washed away the memory of their strife: / Then wept again the loss of all those years.”
For Joan Chittister, the answer is no. She concludes, “Forgiveness puts life back together again” because “life does not have to be perfect to be perfect; it only needs to be forgiving — and forgiven.”
To help guide us during these uncertain times, here is a favorite quote of mine attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt.
“A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world no one is all-knowing and therefore all of us need both love and charity.”
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Brain Tease:
In this puzzle, the “X” in each word represents a missing series of letters that spell a number. Your job is to replace the “X” with the missing letters to form a meaningful word.
For example, in WXY, replace X with the number ‘Eight’, and you form the word — WEIGHTY.
1. NEXRK; 2. CAX; 3. HXY; 4. POXTATE
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The name of the game, first launched in 1948, whose object was to be the first to build a three-dimensional bug-like object from a variety of plastic body parts, was Cooties.
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My wife and I are in San Diego, visiting with my daughter, all the familiar places, and discovering some new ones. But when I return to the Gorge, I’ll mention everyone who submitted correct answers.
And last week, while setting the table according to Emily Post, I missed the correct answers from LaVerna Harmier, Patti Jo McCarthy, Nancy Higgins, and Bruce Johnson. And Maria Kollas remembered Amy Vanderbilt, who also wrote a book about etiquette and didn’t always agree with Emily Post.
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Among the popular cooking shows of the ‘60s and ‘70s were “The French Chef,” “Martha Stewart,” “The Frugal Chef,” and this show hosted by the charismatic British-born chef, Graham Kerr, which became a cultural phenomenon at the time. For this week’s “Remember When” question, and this is a tough one, what was the name of this cooking show that aired from 1969–1971, in which he traveled to different locations, cooked a variety of dishes, and shared his passion for food with his audience? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-980-4645, or send it with the recipe for his signature, “Roast Turkey with a Twist.”
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Well, it’s been another week, trying to manage all of life’s ups and downs and turnarounds. Until we meet again, I wish you a very wonderful and Merry Christmas!
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“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.”
— Norman Vincent Peale
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Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through Friday unless otherwise noted.
Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) — Wednesdays with music on second and fourth Wednesdays; Mt. Hood Town Hall (541-308-5997) — Tuesdays; Hood River Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center (541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333).
For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services: Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).
Answers:
1. Replace X with the number Two — NETWORK
2. Replace X with the number Nine — CANINE
3. Replace X with the number One — HONEY
4. Replace X with the number Ten — POTENTATE
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