Forgiveness Story by June Callwood - Paper Example

Sometimes, the pain caused by abuse, unpleasant action, gesture, or any other unfavourable circumstance on an individual, is unbearable and renders the heart weary. Pain in the heart leaves a bitter taste that does not quickly go away. It is like an acid that destroys the inner being of a person, and there has never been a remedy other than forgiveness. The choice to forgive depends on both parties, but greatly on the wronged.

June Callwood reveals various consequences associated with an unforgiving heart and adverse impacts of holding grudges in his Forgiveness story.' Interesting is what lies on the behind the pains of those who have been offended. Building his arguments from various disciplines, Callwood, for example, borrows from psychology to explain the traumatic psychological impacts associated with a troubled childhood. From the sampled story of the young boy whose childhood abuse influenced his sexual orientation, Callwood confirms that negative childhood experiences have psychological impacts when children grow up. Like adults, children never forget those experiences and might be forgiven for harbouring unforgiving heart and therefore emerge as an undisputed claim.

From a religious point of view, no known denomination lacks forgiveness as a focal concern. Christianity has forgiveness as a recurrent theme, so is Judaism, Islam, and Hindu among others (Smedes). Television programs preach forgiveness, as Callwood rightly says. Psychiatrists and counsellors rely on the power of forgiveness to heal the souls of the offended. The revelations from the statistics of heart attacks do not favor the unforgiving either. It makes it difficult not to conform to Callwoods insights from this story as his arguments have been scientifically and socially proven.

On the other hand, despite Callwoods widely collected instances concerning forgiveness, there are people whose side of the story remains unexplored. These are individuals with no religious affiliations such as atheists. This group also constitutes the realists who do not take things as they appear, and do not buy into empathy to forgive. The law makes any wrongdoing undertaken by an adult, as a personal responsibility. An adult has to face the consequences of their actions. It would be sometimes appropriate to punish the offender or withhold forgiveness for such people to learn since psychological evidence has proof that no one is old enough to learn.

Even though it could not be a typical gospel to for everyone just to forgive, scientifically and otherwise, forgiveness has profound positive impacts on the body and soul, the well-being of a person. Countless instances of evil have been witnessed in so many places, appalling as it may sound, the acts of forgiveness have in such scenarios have left positive impacts and as well as peace of mind to those who have granted remission.

Works cited

Callwood, June. "Forgiveness Story". The Walrus, 2017, https://thewalrus.ca/forgiveness-story/. Smedes, Lewis B. The Art of Forgiving: When You Need to Forgive and Don't Know How. Nashville, Tenn: Moorings, 1996. Print.