Watching the Charleston, South Carolina massacre news reports, I felt like many, angry and sad.
Sadness is anger turned inward.
Listening to the families tell Dylann Roof they forgave him, I searched my soul.
Most of my father's side of the family lives in North Carolina. I wondered if the killings had occurred one state over, and it was my family that was gunned down, would I even be willing to forgive.
Truthfully? Honestly? No...at least not immediately.
I admired those who could forgive right away, but I felt like one woman who had lost someone in the massacre. Through her tears she said, "I know that there are a lot of people here who have been able to forgive him (Roof), but I'm not there yet. I'll get there eventually, but I just can't. Not yet."
She was willing. So am I.
Willing is the key word that opens the door. Sometimes in our lives, we are simply not ready to release anger, or other toxic emotions. It doesn't matter if it's a job issue, a family problem, someone cutting us off driving. Anger is still anger.
