Forgive and Forget

All to often we forget what we were taught by our parents while growing up. You know life's early lessons regarding behavior towards others. The Golden Rule, Do Unto Others, Live and Let Live, Turn the Other Cheek and Forgive and Forget.

Reflecting back on the events of last week only reminds me that maybe we should all remember our life's early lessons. For it was last week that a man broke into an Amish school and went on a shooting spree. He shot and wounded five young children and killed five others. The youngest being seven and the oldest being 13. These children were innocents and were only in school trying to learn their life's lessons.

The shootings were a tragedy to say the least. How it could happen in such a place is a mystery to everyone. You see the Amish live in a very closed community. There is not much communication or interaction with the outside world other than what is absolutely necessary. That someone within such a community could commit such a heinous crime is amazing. That the residents in the community did not see that this particular person could do such a thing is amazing too.

But certainly more amazing are the actions taken by the Amish after the shootings. Despite their own grieving they found enough compassion within their hearts to invite the killer's widow to one of the funerals. Not to make her see what her husband had done but to show that they do not blame her for his actions. They understand that she too is suffering. She is now a widow with three children of her own to support. She is now, and forever will be, the wife of the man who wounded and killed those children.

Donations are poring in from around the world to help the families of the dead and wounded. Though the Amish generally do not seek help from outside their community, Kevin King, executive director of Mennonite Disaster services, an agency managing the donations, quoted an Amish bishop as saying: "We are not asking for funds. In fact, it's wrong for us to ask. But we will accept them with humility." A fund has been created to assist all of the families involved.

At the behest of Amish leaders, a fund has also been set up for the killer's widow and three children. Yes! They set up a fund for the killer's widow and three children. How absolutely amazing is that?

You see these people, the Amish, have truly learned and remembered their life's early lessons. Especially the one that goes "Forgive and Forget."