Mena M Forgive Others Who Harmed You
I was 16 years old when I was walking down the street with my little sister, minding my own business and then suddenly, a black pick up-truck struck me from behind. I didn’t know what to think. I couldn’t breathe in the air around me nor could I feel my legs or arms. The thought of dying in front of my little sister entered my mind. The loud sirens and the incredible velocity of the ambulance took me to a nearby hospital within 5 minutes. While making a slow recovery at the hospital, I am informed by an officer that the person who struck me was drunk.
The man was drunk. I was less than an inch away from being paralyzed for life as a result of his actions, not mine. The fury and anger that I had in my heart cannot be described. The painful hours of physical therapy infuriated me. The time to spend with my family and friends was taken away from me, and instead I had to go through 20 hours of pain every week. And then, I met the person who placed this harm upon me. The man who struck me was very tall with broad shoulders, and he had come to meet me with tears in his eyes. I didn’t know what to think or how to respond. He passionately apologized to me and then left, sobbing uncontrollably. It seemed that the man not only had guilt for harming me, but it seems that he lost a big part of his heart as well. Later on, I learn that the man, who nearly killed me, lost his two kids in a car accident.
Now, all my fury and desire for vengeance immediately turned to sorrow and grief. I forgave him; I forgave him for almost putting me in a wheelchair. Losing a son or a daughter can lead to the destruction of a person’s spirit. Unfortunately, this person’s spirit was lost and broken. I forgave him because I wanted him to take care of his family through this horrifying experience, rather than feeling guilty for almost ending my life. He turned to alcohol for a reason: to minimize his pain and suffering, and I comprehended that.
As a result of this situation, I now believe to forgive those who harmed me in the past. I didn’t know why he was drunk and I jumped to a conclusion. The man was drunk because of hardships; he turned to alcohol because he wanted to get rid of the pain he was feeling about losing his two kids. It made me believe to not fill myself with rage and fury for the harm that someone caused me unintentionally. The reason for this is because I might not know what situation that person has been through. I believe I am forgiving.