Forgiveness And Random Acts of Kindness

I'm not sure whether it's because it's Good Friday, but the BBC decided to run with a great article about forgiveness today. It comes after the brother of a murdered schoolgirl in London has said he is willing to forgive: click.

I contemplated apologising for writing about forgiveness again, but as we can't seem to get enough of the stuff to go around the world, I think another mention or two doesn't go amiss.

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A friend posted a status yesterday about a random act of kindness, where a complete stranger paid the bus fare that she didn't have. The story cheered me, but I got to thinking - isn't it odd that we celebrate these events? In a normal/better/perfect world [delete as your worldview allows] wouldn't being human be defined by these acts? It wouldn't be out of the ordinary, but normal.

Jesus, teach us how to be human.

Hold Fast Hope

Over Christmas, I watched Shawshank Redemption. Twice. Because it is amazing.

And this section of the film always rings so true for me. The world is, as a rule, a bit crap. Not to draw any comparisons with prison, because I haven't actually ever been in a penitentiary. But to draw a really obvious tenuous link, one thing the world cannot take from us is hope.

To quote Thrice again, probably for the billionth time:

My heart is filled with songs of forever
The city that endures when all is made new
I know I don't belong here, I'll never
Call this place my home, I'm just passing through.

This is pretty, clever, and possibly basis for a lot of geo-political comment. Enjoy.