From Father Varghese’s Desk
How long do we hold onto hurts?
Two friends were traveling together through an arid and unforgiving desert. As they trudged along the scorching sands, a disagreement arose between them, and in a moment of anger, one friend struck the other across the face. The one who had been struck felt deep pain, both physical and emotional, but he remained silent. Instead, he knelt down and wrote in the sand: “Today, my best friend hurt me.”
They continued their journey until they came upon an oasis tranquil refuge with crystal-clear waters. Grateful for the respite, they decided to bathe. But as fate would have it, the friend who had been slapped suddenly lost his footing and sank into a deep mire. Struggling helplessly, he began to drown. Without hesitation, his companion leaped into action and pulled him to safety.
Once the shaken traveler regained his breath, he took a sharp stone and carved into a nearby rock: “Today, my best friend saved my life.” Perplexed, the friend who had both harmed and rescued him asked, “When I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, but now, you inscribe this moment on stone. Why?”
With a gentle smile, the other replied, “When someone wrongs us, we should write it in the sand, where the winds of forgiveness can wash it away. But when someone shows us kindness, we must engrave it in stone, where no storm can ever erase it.”
Let us learn to let go of our hurts as fleeting grains of sand, and instead, etch our blessings deep into the rock of our hearts.
Have a Good Week and God Bless,
Father Varghese
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