VickyCollins

I speak as someone who is in the "next generation" of effects of violence and trauma. My mother's father was killed when she was 18, when a bomb was put on a commercial airliner in 1955 in the U.S. 160 people were instantly killed. I think what is important to know is that trauma takes on a long life - longer than one generation certainly. There were no tools for my mother to deal with this and I was raised with a general malaise that is almost indescribable. The bomb that killed my grandfather had no cause attached to it - other than greed of the bomber - who killed his mother that day for her insurance policy. But the point I'm trying to make is that it's terribly important to deal with these issues of violence whatever their cause and whatever the person's label is - be he terrorist, murderer - freedom fighter - because if they aren't dealt with, these traumas lead very long lives. It's never just one generation. I really appreciate the work you are doing - shining a light on this and showing people a better way may be the most important work of our time.

Thanks Jo - I would very much like to chat sometime. One of the first things I thought when I saw your part in the movie was that - wow, I bet your kids, if you have them, are possibly growing up free. By seeing positive action, and as you said in the movie, something good coming from that soul shocking tragedy. My heart does hurt quite often for next generation survivors - and I know there is something I can do to help with this movement, I just don't know what it is yet.

Everyone says they want peace and they believe in peace and they hope there's peace "one day", but I don't believe we will ever have peace as long as we continue to outsource it to others. It can't be somebody else's job. So if we want peace, we have to do the work ourselves. We are our only solution here. It starts with forgiveness because that opens the door to love. The act of "not forgiving" is an act of violence in and of itself. I am grateful you had the courage to do it and now you have the freedom many others do not, for probably far lesser offenses. My guess is that you feel very peaceful and free. What all of us can learn here, is that if you can do it, so can everyone else. What other choice do we have if we want a better outcome? Thank you Jo.

I wish I had thought to ask this yesterday, because I think your answer will be relevant and useful to people considering, but not quite yet ready or willing to forgive. My experience is that the benefits of the forgiveness process unfold in a person's life slowly over time. What would you say has surprised you most as a result of this process for you? How has the process benefitted you in ways you might not have anticipated or expected?

are you on now?