Northern Ireland Proves that Therapeutic Care--Not Incarceration--Keeps Juveniles from Re-offending

I was saying, "Hmm-hmm, yes, yes, amen!" while listening to this story from the BBC while driving home tonight. It--literally!--drove home that adolescents who commit crimes can lives free of criminal behavior. Incarceration and probation, however, do not have nearly the lasting effects of facing consequences as laid out by the victims in face-to-face meetings. There are no victim-less crimes, but too often, there are victim-absent judgments and sentencing. Talk about having to face the consequences!

Henri Nouwen on Forgiveness

I came across this quote about forgiveness that really spoke to me and thought it might also to you. I really appreciated the image of "not forgiving" as a chain and forgiveness as freedom:

"Maybe the reason it seems hard for me to forgive others is that I do not fully believe that I am a forgiven person. If I could fully accept the truth that I am forgiven and do not have to live in guilt or shame, I would really be free. My freedom would allow me to forgive others seventy times seven times. By not forgiving, I chain myself to a desire to get even, thereby losing my freedom."--Henri Nouwen

The Forgiveness Train

"Forgiveness is the final form of love."--Reinhold Niebuhr

I've been thinking about forgiveness a lot lately. The topic seems to come up a lot in the conversations I have with clients, parents--really anyone who's old enough to have significant relationships with other people. Over the course of these conversations, a metaphor for forgiveness appeared in my mind. When I try to make a visual picture of forgiveness I see a train--a toy train, to be exact where the cars connect through magnets. The locomotive--the train's beginning--is one's self. Forgiveness of others, I think, can only happen once we learn to forgive ourselves for past mistakes, regrets, and unhappinesses. Before any cars can be added to the train, the locomotive must be strong enough to first power itself. Once the forgiveness engine can power itself, that strength can be extended to others. Here's where the magnets come in. I see this attraction quality to forgiveness. With each act of forgiveness, another car is added to the train. Each car attracts yet another car, and soon, all the cars are drawn into this seemingly endless line of cars, driven by one small but powerful engine: self-forgiveness. In the months (and maybe even years!) to come, I hope to research acts of forgiveness (of one's self and others) and be able to report back my findings. Please feel free to share your stories of courageous acts of forgiveness.