What is forgiveness? Is it simply the tight hug received by a loved one after forgetting their birthday? Or perhaps the deliberate, “I forgive you” following “I’m sorry,” spoken daily by the mouths of millions in hundreds of tongues? After years of research, a founder in the study of forgiveness and adept science practitioner, Fred Luskin confirmed to forgive “requires three major steps.” However, to fully appreciate the significance behind the act of forgiving, an individual must dive deep into the psychological processes of the human mind and the history behind such a passionate word.
The roots of “forgive” brings us to the early ninth century. Originally spoken as “perdonare” in Latin, the phrase was used …show more content…
After a study on the human psyche, Fred Luskin discovered the first step to forgiving is understanding what forgiveness truly is. Forgiveness seemingly requires the person to give in or throw away their pride and therefore comes across as an act of mercy. Psychologists define the act of forgiveness as a thoughtful choice to let go feelings of offense towards a source of harm, regardless of whether the offender truly deserves it (McLeod). This choice does not mean forgetting, nor condoning the crime. It is frequently taught to simply gloss over, reject the seriousness and move past an offense. For an individual to whole-heartedly understand what forgiveness is, this requires coming to an acceptance. Forgiveness is not mercy. Forgiveness is sensing the pain inside yourself and managing it through extension of an understanding hand. This acknowledgement of the suffering is the second step of the process of …show more content…
If you want to see the heroic, look to those who can forgive.” This quote relates to the tragedies experienced by millions of individuals every day and the way they respond to them. One particular instance applies to thirteen-year-old Gina DeJesus’ mother. The day started as any other would. DeJesus boarded the bus that had been picking her up for years and without any thought, took a seat beside fourteen-year-old Jordyn Howe. However, the day took a turn for the worst when Howe decided to conceal a gun under his jacket and show his friends the firearm on the way to school. Without warning, the weapon went off and struck DeJesus, killing her upon impact. After eighteen months of court debates between the two parties, mother Addy Guzman not only decided to sign a plea for Jordyn Howe, but stood as a strong front for him. She then carried on to create a legacy for her daughter. “No parent should ever have to endure this… We must teach in the schools that it is okay for someone to tell (a supervisor) if someone brings a weapon to school.” (Ron Book) Addy Guzman convinced the judge to change his sentence and eventually went on to offer the teenage a second chance by limiting his detainment to only two years in juvenile detention. Guzman taught in schools around the state for months after about the safety of children in educational environments and the impact of forgiving those