Time Out Tuesday: Forgiveness

I thought today's TOT topic should be 'forgiveness' as right now a lot of people are angry at the three boys that caused the fire. I was very angry and upset too because they messed up the lives of many people. Because of the fire:

• They destroyed a building
• Destroyed personal belongings and irreplaceable items
• Displaced students for a week (or more because they don't know about grades 9-11)
• Prom stuff was destroyed (it's this Saturday)
• Many events have been cancelled
• Sub jobs have been cancelled (I was supposed to work for an elementary music teacher today who was going to the high school for a music festival...now it's cancelled, so my job is cancelled)
• Displaced the teachers
• Caused a lot of inconveniences for many

Just a small part of what was damaged.

It's like time stood still after all was abandoned.

But I forgive them. No one was hurt. The building and most items can be replaced, people cannot. Our community has grown closer yet again. There's a prom decor building party today. A local neighborhood is donating all their garage sale proceeds from this weekend to our recovery fund. The youth are getting more involved in the community. We've come together once again in a time of need. 

I feel bad for the kids' families involved. What a Mother's Day for them, their kids locked up. They are being tried as adults, and if found guilty, will serve a mandatory 7 years due to Measure 11 (arson) which means they'll be 22 at the earliest they come out.

Even yesterday there were angry teachers in the staff lounge. Holding onto anger solves nothing. I've found some excellent quotes today.

How true is this?! 

Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were. --Cherie Carter-Scott

We all make mistakes:

To err is human; to forgive, divine.-- Alexander Pope

"Forgiveness is the economy of the heart... forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost ofhatred, the waste of spirits." Hannah More

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