An old photo of my neighborhood wilderness area
Good Evening, God!
Next month I’m giving four “class” sessions on Forgiving. And I must say I’m already being sensitized. Last month I began to notice un-forgiveness in myself.
Several months ago my favorite neighborhood wilderness area was destroyed — ironically by a conservation group. My dearly beloved algeroba trees (kiawe in Hawaiian) were suddenly cut down. I understood in theory it might be best to have indigenous trees, but in practice I was sad. Yes, God, I was also angry and resentful.
A week after starting work on my Forgiveness Class I walked by the former site of the kiawe trees and realized my Upset Feeling meant that I hadn’t forgiven the group doing this.
Yikes! It’s one thing to be upset. It’s another thing to harbor an Unforgiving Spirit. That seemed much more serious. So I started easing up on my regret and resentment.
Then just this morning I noticed folks working on the area and I struck up a conversation with a woman named Elizabeth.
I told her I was sad about losing the kiawe.
A brand new sign about the endangered Alae’ula bird.
She nodded sympathetically. Then she said that the kiawetrees were sucking up water from the spring feeding the wetlands. And the endangered alae’ula (Hawaiian mud hen) needed the water.
Ah! So, there was a Real Reason for cutting down these kiawe trees. Well, at least a reason I could understand. My “upset” drained away. My Unforgiving Spirit dissipated. And I cheerfully exchanged email addresses with Elizabeth.
Yes, God. It is not lost on me that there are many, many explanations I will never get to hear — and about many, many things. Please God, help me Open my Heart and my Mind to the existence of unknown explanations.
Please Open my Heart and Open my Mind to YOU!
Story teller,
A Moment with God 
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