The moment might be happy,
but unless one could feel confident
in the hope that there would
be other such moments,
the happiness was worth little.
-- Mary Balogh
True confession: I read romance novels. And Mary Balogh -- who I strongly suspect is a person of faith, because of the wisdom she sprinkles graciously into her novels -- is one of my favorite authors. Last night I finished a recent find of hers I picked up at a garage sale, called A Christmas Bride, and this thought was expressed as the plot was nearing its surprisingly moving denoument, which was all about the power of forgiveness.
It reminded me of something Cynthia Bourgeault said once, at the book talk where I first encountered her. Asked what the difference was between Christianity and Buddhism, she replied, "Christianity has hope." And maybe that's where that redemptive hope lies, in the power -- and the promise -- of forgiveness? How can we ever hope for a better future if we cannot forgive ourselves and others, if we cannot cease to chew on all those old mistakes and betrayals and create a new and kinder future for ourselves?
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