The Letter


Eugenia Appling Short

     Domestic violence entered our home when my mother married her second husband.  Many times, he would get his gun and point it at her.  One time the gun went off and fortunately no one was shot. Many things happened through the years that caused fear in my heart. I didn't realize I needed to forgive in order for the fear to go away. At the age of fourteen I went to church camp.  The girls' counselor had each of us write a letter forgiving whomever we needed to forgive.  I wrote a long letter forgiving my stepdad. We were to mail it to ourselves. I did what she told us to do, but I never received my letter.  When my mom was in her seventies she came to live with me, I told her about the letter.  She said, "When it arrived, he opened it.  That was the maddest I had ever seen him." It was good to know he read the letter, and he knew I had forgiven him.

The letter

There are many ways to forgive someone.

It really doesn't matter how it's done.

The spoken word is a good way.

It could be in a letter to arrive someday.

When it's sincere you become free.

Then your fears can begin to flee.

Maybe not all will be suddenly gone.

With time their hold won't be as strong.

So, give yourself a gift and forgive.

Be free as your life you live.

                      Patricia Westbrook

     "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you/" (Matthew 6:14-15, NKJV).





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