A) family and friends
B) enemies and others you dislike
C) events, happenings, that hurt you
D) all of the above
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ANSWER:
D: Offenses and hurts can occur in every aspect of life. Every person and thing you encounter in life has the potential to produce a situation that warrants forgiveness.
The contest awarded prizes for the best responses (75 words or less) to "Why I need to forgive someone."
Winners:
FIRST PRIZE: $100.00 & Autographed Copy of Bestselling Novel, Bag Lady
The intimacy of forgiveness makes its power infinite. That is why I have chosen to explore the final frontier by offering forgiveness to myself. Living in the past and searching for answers to past mistakes and missteps has been defeating. Today I forgive myself for bad decisions that have allowed heartbreak, guilt, and shame to become my crutches and smother my gifts. Today I will let my crutches fall and forge ahead to new discoveries.
Bridget E. Body
Florissant, MO
SECOND PRIZE: $50.00 & Autographed Copy of Bestselling Novel, Bag Lady
...The person I need to forgive is my self, I have carried the burden of past hurts from deep friendships and relationships into my new self, and I many days I still feel like that little girl with the big smile but empty inside.
I am tired of being the poster child for the "good person/friend". Regardless of how people treat me I still listen to their woes, borrow them money, lend them things, and watch their children just so they can say "she is a good person" for what? I am not that person, I can say no, and I am learning to be an advocate for myself and to not let others make me be what they want me to be.
April Foster
THIRD PRIZE: $25.00 & Autographed Copy of Bestselling Novel, Bag Lady
I am a domestic violence survivor. The daughter of my father was my attacker and for months following our breakup I lived in fear and let my memories haunt me. I decided to forgive him and move on with my life. Now I can look at my daughter who is the splitting image of him and love her conditionally and let her know that her daddy loves her even though we weren't happy together. Now I no longer fear him and my memories are just that; memories of the past that I no longer relive.
Crystal Alexander
Staten