Forgiveness: A Path to Inner Peace - Inspired by A Course in Miracles. Michael Dawson

the government, this dictator, that religion, and so on. To start the process of forgiveness we need to take responsibility for what is in our own minds, and in the next chapter we will explore more fully our ego’s story of denial and projection.

      In every situation in which we lose our peace, we have found a reflection of what is unhealed, what we have not forgiven ourselves for. We all walk around in a hall of mirrors, the world constantly reflecting back what is in our minds. When we are upset the world becomes a messenger, drawing our attention to what we have tried to ignore or even failed to recognise. Instead of killing the messenger, we now have an opportunity to work with forgiveness – of ourselves.

      You may agree with some or all of what you’ve read so far, but may have serious reservations about whether this applies to events on the world stage such as war and genocide, murder and rape. How can we forgive such atrocities? This is an important question and will be explored more fully in the next chapter.

      I will end this introduction with a letter I received from a friend; it illustrates well the fact that we don’t have to change other people to feel at peace around them.

      I built up a strong hate relationship with the man who owns the town’s hardware store. I often had to go in there and found him the rudest, most overbearing rip-off merchant I'd ever met. After eight months or so, I vowed never to go there again, though it meant a lot of trouble for me. I also decided to put anyone else off going there.

      One day, I urgently needed photocopying done of some children's sanctuary songs for a group the next day. Songs like ‘The more we are together’, ‘You are beautiful’, etc. Of course, he has the only photocopier in town so I went in hoping to slip down to his photocopy room and do it myself but, instead, he came with me and proceeded to do the photocopying. As he did, he got interested in the songs and asked me how they went.

      I very reluctantly began to sing these very spiritual songs. He joined in, in a gorgeous baritone, rich and full. I think we sang our way through every song! This transformed everything. I didn't intend to 'forgive', we just joined, and it happened. His voice was so beautiful that I was transfixed and the ridiculousness of the situation appealed to my nature.

      I adore the man now and see so many sides of him that were invisible before. Although I still end up buying three things I don't need whenever I go into his shop, I can admire the fact that he is the only thriving business in the village.

      I feel so much joy when I remember this incident. I think it should be on a film. Importantly to me, he didn't change at all; he didn't have to. I wish I could do this as easily with all the other people who annoy me!

      Krissy,

      New Zealand

      CHAPTER SUMMARY

      •Facts are neutral.

      •No event in the world produces the same response in everyone.

      •We always choose our reactions to situations.

      •What upsets us about others reflects what is unforgiven in ourselves.

      ∞