The Better Part of Memory

Which memory is harder for you to shake: rejection or guilt? Why? (Serendipity Bible Fourth Edition, page 119).

By the grace of God the answer is neither. The memories hardest to shake – if I wished to shake them – are memories of acceptance and love.  I can name a few here – the caress of my grandmother, the warmth of my kin folks at reunions, a teacher that with kindness gave me a second chance, the patience of my parents, the expansive practical affection of my brother, the generosity of counselors, the empowerment given me by a chaplain, the love initially of strangers that evolved into lifelong friendships and endearments, the wonderment in which purely business relationships transformed into cherished attachments, and the special kindnesses of people I would never meet again but helped me on the highways of life. Compared with the indelible endurance of these memories; occasional offensive abominations lose focus, importance, power, and meaning. It's easier to forgive when there is so little to forgive.

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