Quality to forgive

What is the quality that singles out great people from the ordinary like us? I would say, without a doubt, a very exemplary quality that most great people possess is forgiveness. It is a quality where there is no rancour, hatred, anger, vindictiveness and revenge, but instead a pure outpouring from a sublime heart. Jesus Christ said: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”. This is greatness in essence, for Christ had nothing against the persons responsible for his crucifixion and ultimate demise.

It is said a truly empathetic person, does not give rude retorts when chastised but will instead try to analyse why the other person is rebuking him: Could the other person be in a foul mood? Or is the other person mistaken about my intentions or motives? So, instead of retorting or retaliating in a rude, curt and caustic way, an emotionally mature person will assess the situation and answer diplomatically thus preventing an ugly argument and fight. A little thoughtful introspection and analysis with a modicum of forgiveness can go a long way in averting emotional disasters.

Jesus was not the only saintly personality who displayed great forgiveness in the face of adversity. When Mahatma Gandhi was confronted by Nathuram Godse, who was about to assassinate him, instead of spewing forth a volley of curses like what we would have done, he instead uttered: "Hey Ram" and succumbed to the bullets. Thus, ended the life of the saintly personality who was considered one of the greatest men of the 20th Century. The man about whom Winston Churchill said, “generations will pass, and men will wonder how this great man walked the Earth in flesh and blood.”

However, one may surmise, “We are neither Jesus Christ nor Mahatma Gandhi. How do ordinary human beings like us show forgiveness especially when the other person is evil? A person whom we have crossed oceans for, but he is not willing to cross a puddle for us. For this attitude, one great motivational speaker had this to say, “you are not forgiving the other person to reform him/her which is well nigh impossible, but you are forgiving the other person for your own peace.”

Sometimes, the peace comes at a very high price.