SNOW DAY

We had a huge snowstorm here in the Northeast a few weeks back. I had a snow day with Maya--we shoveled (well, I shoveled) and she tried to throw shovel-loads of snow at her Dad. We had a blast--showing her how to do snow-angels--did you ever do snow angels as a kid? It is an art--you find the purest patch of snow, stand erect and fall back, praying that you make the cleanest of imprints in the white fluff. And then just wave your arms and legs open and close. Simple magic. (Getting up is the challenge!)

Letʼs juxtapose this scene with the horrible news of those mass killings in Alabama and that town in Germany. We now know this guy in Alabama had a “list” of those who wronged him. And it was his mission that day to check this list off in the most depraved, cowardly manner. And he succeeded.

Now, I do not profess to be an expert in forensic psychology. Yes, I am sure I could draw some basic conclusions about these 2 animals, but the point here is that this guy in Alabama had a list and maybe the kid in Germany had one as well.

Who among us, has not had a “list” sometime in their life? Who has not felt wronged or hurt by someone we thought of as a friend, or someone who we felt, loved us? Or wronged by a boss or a colleague? But for heavenʼs sake--to carry out a killing spree for emotional justice??

For those who have knowingly or unknowingly been on my list throughout the years, I apologize. Yes, you may have hurt me, you may have wronged me, you may have emotionally injured me in some manner--BUT I am still breathing, I am still functioning, I am still thriving. Whatever your intent--whether it was done out of malice or not, whether it was out of frustration or not, whether it was the only way you knew how to respond or not, I forgive you.

Because... I played a part in all of this. I either did not express my feelings in the moment, did not put my interests first, did not believe in myself and my skills and my worth, or maybe I just played into a pattern of behavior that we had established. I do not know.

But what I do know, is that this list is burdensome. I want my life to be filled with more snow days. I deserve that.