Parable Road #20 (Forgiveness)

“I think this is my favorite place in the world.”

“Mine too,” my wife replies as she smiles into my eyes.

I pull her closer into my embrace.

The phone is ringing but I don’t want to leave this couch to answer it.

I’ve been working hard and I deserve some time alone.

“If you don’t answer it, next thing you know they’ll come over here.”

I sigh. “You’re right.” With that, I force myself from the couch and move toward the black phone mounted on the wall.

“Hello.” I pause for a moment. “Yes, this is Ben, who is this?” The voice at the other end of the line babbles something I don’t quite understand.“Who?”

Time seems to stand still as the voice outlines the situation.

I feel numb as I hang the receiver back in its place.

“Who was that?” My wife asks.

“Remember that accident I told you about?”

“The one with the van who pulled out in front of the motorcycle?”

“Yes.”

“What about it?”

“That was the driver of the van. He wants me to go with him as he visits the family of the young man on the motorcycle.”

“Oh my goodness!”

I bite my lip. “That’s what I was thinking. But, I think I should go with him.”

My wife moves to join me in the kitchen. “It won’t be easy.”

“That’s exactly why I should go.”

“I understand.”

I lean forward to kiss the love of my life. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

***

The evening unfolds in a string of introductions. First to the driver of the van who came to pick me up. Then, to the family of the young man who had passed away in the accident. After that, the story of the tragedy is retold.

I don’t say much. I am here because I witnessed the accident. But, I don’t have a say in the very personal reason for this evening.

“I know this won’t be easy but I have to ask you this…will you forgive me?” The van driver, a slim, elderly man with an expression of kindness asks with a hopeful expression on his wrinkled face.

Silence fills the room.

Some of the members of the family in question begin crying softly.

It is hot and humid in this small crowded room. I feel like the walls are closing in on me. I can’t help but wish that I was back at home with my wife.

Why did I ever agree to come here?

Finally, after about half an hour, one of the members of the family stands to his feet.

“You’re right, it isn’t easy. That was my only son.”

The van driver wipes his eyes. “I know, it’s hard, I did you wrong.”

“But…but…I believe in a God who gave up his only son so that I could have forgiveness, so why wouldn’t I forgive you?”

The van driver shifts nervously. “I’m not a religious man, but…”

“This isn’t about religion. What I’m trying to say is, I’ve been forgiven much, so I…so I forgive you.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything…just…just…Oh, come here.”

Witnessing these two total strangers hug each other in that small room is one of the most powerful things I have ever seen.

I can forgive them for pulling me away from my wife.

This didn’t change the tragedy of the situation but forgiveness kept them from being chained to the consequences of it.

My wife is waiting for me but I don’t even notice the time passing. Something about all this has shaken me.

I know I’ll be thinking about this evening for a long time.

To be continued…