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Last Friday, Linda and her husband heard loud noises at their windows. Although the fear of gunshots appeared her thoughts, Linda tried to look into. When I managed to sneak in a look, I saw a mixture of eggs, oranges, and such coming at our windows.”
Bravely, Linda decided to face her “enemies”. She always believed that “all strangers are my relatives”, she went outside to see “three cute kids”. Rather than shout at them, Linda tried to connect, “Hey guys, thank you for the oranges. Can I have them so they don't go to waste?” But the kids started to run. Linda walked after them and said, “Wait! Wait! Don't be afraid! I am not going to do anything. I just want to talk. And I can use your oranges.” The kids ran off without looking back.
Linda felt a “sense of motherly connection” after thinking for a while, and she explained “More than forgiveness, it was more like a simple care.”
When Linda ran outside to meet the “dangerous enemy”, it turned out to be a group of 10 and 11 year old children. It helps to see all our enemies as children because they once were children (which is why they often act childishly).It is much easier to see children as basically good or acting out in ways that they “know not what they are doing”.
People don't willingly choose to be cruel, mean, or hateful. They experience things in their lives--often when they are very young--which make them take on the defenses of anger, and scorn Seeing my enemies as child makes me think of the saying, “all attacks are a cry for help”.
Forgiveness can lead to understanding. Understanding plants the seeds for love. We can raise a whole generation of children who have the ability to stand for what all the great wise men have taught us: Love the enemy.
