Tuesday; March 7

          On September 8, 1974 President Gerald Ford appeared before the American people to let them know that his intent was to offer a pardon to disgraced former president, Richard Nixon.  With the wounds left by the Nixon administration still fresh in many people’s minds, this decision was controversial at best and considered inexcusable by some.  As President Ford related his decision to the nation, his reasoning was that it was time to put what he had previously descried as a “national nightmare” to rest – it was time to move on so that the hurts could heal.  He understood that he could allow the “legal process” to meander on for years or he could make the executive decision to end the drama here and now.  In his speech he highlighted his reasoning by saying, “During this long period of delay and potential litigation, ugly passions would again be aroused. And our people would again be polarized in their opinions. And the credibility of our free institutions of government would again be challenged at home and abroad.”.  In real-time, this decision created a lot of heartache, but through the years even some of President Ford’s most vocal critics have come to appreciate what he did to heal the nation.
          Do we have things festering inside us that are creating “ugly passions” and “polarization”?  Is it time to do what President Ford did and bring our own nightmares to an end?  Often, forgiveness is seen as a noble effort, but it has a practical side to it – when we forgive people who have wronged us, it allows us to move on with a renewed sense of peace and prosperity.  It is time?
          Think About It!

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