Not Of This World

Not Of This World

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"

This weekend, I discovered something new again. I discovered that one of the most liberating and most profound human acts that one can do is to ask forgiveness from someone. I say this without any partiality because I am, after all, a romantic at heart as well as a good-natured person. But there is something else in asking for forgiveness than initial embarassment; there is a realization involved.

In my example, I realized that there was something wrong in bearing a grudge against someone. I realized that this double-edged sword we call Hate can poison our heart and cloud our thinking. It is no wonder that we, as a species, are always at war. We wonder why it is a dog-eat-dog world when we succumb to our own anger and selfish pride.

I recently met someone who has the power of telekenesis and clairvoyance. In his case, the ability he had was foresight. As much as it is fascinating and mind-boggling, it is nowhere near as liberating as hindsight. And for all intents and purposes, I thank God that for me, it has been 20/20.

If we observe ourselves as creatures of nature, we will notice that somewhere along the line, we look after our own needs more than we look after the needs of others. It is a natural thing for us to find nourishment to help keep our bodies strong; it is natural for us to find shelter when are exposed to extreme temperatures. Without this natural impulse to look after our well-being, we will be unable to survive at all. We are also subject to the same rule as a thinking member of the clockwork community we dub as the human society. But as selfish people, we are consumed by pride and hate. When someone wrongs us, the automatic reaction is to retaliate without even thinking things through or assuming a paradigm shift.

Matthew 6:14-15 (14) For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

I felt a sense of freedom and overwhelming unexplicable relief after I asked for forgiveness from the person that I wronged. When I knew everything was okay; when I knew I was already forgiven, I felt I could walk upright without shame because in my heart I knew I was already right with this person.

There is something ethereal about forgiving. I have realized that it is not of this world where competitive advantage is the formula for success and revenge is deemed a personal right. The reason why forgiveness is so alien to us is because it is something supernatural---something that is beyond us and our earthly existence. It gives us a glimpse of a destination that is not bound by time and space. It tells us that there is something else out there. And no matter how much we squint our eyes towards the heavens, it will only be revealed to us in the end of our earthly lives.

Once we realize there is a cataract that is blinding us from the world we are supposed to be seeing, there is nothing else we would like than for it to dissolve away.

There is a sense of mystery when a mountaineer stands on top of the highest mountain and sees nothing but clouds stretching from the horizon or when a person sees the grandeur of the setting sun against the horizon of the Pacific. I can only imagine the heartbeat of an astronaut when he stares into the canvas of the universe from his space shuttle.

The more we climb, the higher we go, we feel a tug that says, "I am not meant to be here. I am supposed to be somewhere else."

Last weekend, my insurmountable mountain---the unreachable "vastness of space" that I call, was asking for forgiveness. And it brought me closer to where I want to be.