# 1 - (cause I'm 50 today!!)

The Top 10 Things I've Learned in My 50 years on this planet...

# 10 - Don't sweat the small stuff

#   9 - Being mean blows chunks

#   8 - You can't reason with the unreasonable

#   7 - I need quiet

#   6 - Life is unpredictable; change is constant

#   5 - Giving is good; receiving is hard

#   4 - Less is more

#   3 - I need to create

#   2 - I need people

 

And the # 1 thing I've learned in my 50 years on this planet...

#   1 - I need redemption

 

Cause I screw up.  Often.  Royally.  Often royally. 

 

Sometimes in ways that I can't redeem myself or make right.  And that's when I need others to redeem me - to forgive me - to cover me with kindness and grace and love despite myself or what I've done.

 

Ya know...if ya think about it, our judicial system is based on the concept of justice - someone has wronged another or society as a whole, so punishments or punitive damages are handed down from the bench in the interest of redeeming the wrong done - somehow making it right, somehow restoring the one wronged to as close to their original situation before they were wronged as possible.  But it's never perfectly restored.  And that's where forgiveness kicks in. 

 

I'm pretty much talking about that same idea.  When I've screwed up, I need to do all that I can to make it right between myself and the one I've hurt.  But ultimately I need their forgiveness; justice can only go so far to restore the relationship.

 

Same holds true in those rare times when I'm not the one that screwed up but got screwed.  (Am I allowed to word it this way?  I don't mean to offend...)  Sometimes nothing can make it right - sometimes the other person doesn't attempt to make it right or can't for whatever reason - but for the health of everyone involved I need to forgive.  Resentment and grudges and bitterness are poisons that forgiveness removes.

 

I'll say one more thing and then close since I know this is a bit of a heavy truth (and it is my birthday after all!)  I make a distinction between forgiveness / redemption and reconciliation.  Life experience has taught me that not everyone is a safe person.  Forgiveness doesn't always equal retaining that relationship.  But it will bring peace and release from the weight of waiting for the other person to redeem the situation - when oftentimes they won't or can't - and free me to live.

 

Yep, I need redemption.  Both sides of it.  Cause people screw up from time to time.  Often royally.

 

PS - next post should include story and pics of the jump and the par-tay!  Woo-hoo!!!  Happy!  Happy!