forgiveness

"Have you ever been in love?" asked Story Teller of the community gathered around the night fire.

He travelled from place to place, belonging to no community but welcomed at every camp fire. People were happy when he came. He brought a freshness of understanding and sense of playful humor.

"Do you remember when you first fell in love? You imagined the person was a certain way and they turned out to be different."

Old married couples looked at each other and smiled. Youngsters in new love looked startled.

"They drooled on the pillow. They farted strange smells."

Everyone laughed.

"Their consciousness turned out to be different from yours. Both of you had to make adjustments."

"The love affair between God and humans is not so different.'

They grew quiet with this sudden shift in focus.

"The story is that God created us in his image. In other words, we began our existence in God's imagination. He loved us. Then we drooled on the pillow and farted."

Uneasy laughter.

"Uh oh. Now what?"

"God asked for a divorce. In fact, he figured a divorce had already happened. We did not live up to his imaginings."

"Instead of divorce, he settled on a separation. Which was an acknowledgment of the true state of things."

"There followed a long period of failed attempts at reconciliation. Both parties were in despair and angry and depressed about their situation. God did not live up to our imaginings either."

"This is when God decided to take the path of forgiveness, forgiveness of himself, and forgiveness of humans. He developed new imagination."

"Forgiveness is a necessary part of love," said Story Teller. "If you are not forgiving, you are not loving."

"Forgiveness is not for the weak," he said. "Forgiveness is a warrior of spirit way, a way of traveling unencumbered."

"Pick up a pebble. Now hold it against a person near you. Take another pebble and hold it against yourself."

They did.

"How long do you think you can do that?" he asked.

"I'm tired of it already," said Rag Bag, a village elder.

"It takes a lot of energy to keep holding something against someone or against yourself," said Story Teller.

"Okay, let it go."

The sounds of pebbles dropping and of murmuring and gentle laughter filled the night air.

"Hear that?" said Story Teller. "Those are the sounds of forgiveness."

"We forgive God as God forgives us. This is love."

Story Teller sat down.

The fire was warm and relaxing.