Archive for August, 2012

Creator of Thalidomide Asks Forgiveness

Long Island Newsday – The German manufacturer of Thalidomide, Gruenenthal Group, apologized to mothers who took thalidomide during the 1950s and 1960s and to their children who suffered congenital birth defects because of the drug.

“We ask for forgiveness that for nearly 50 years we didn’t find a way of reaching out to you from human being to human being,” Harald Stock said. “We ask that you regard our long silence as a sign of the shock that your fate caused in us.”

Thalidomide, a powerful sedative, was sold under the brand name Contergan. It was given to pregnant women mostly to combat morning sickness, but led to a wave of birth defects in Europe, Australia, Canada and Japan. Thalidomide was yanked from the market in 1961 and was also found to cause defects in the eyes, ears, heart, genitals and internal organs of developing babies.

Thalidomide was never approved for use in pregnant women in the United States.

Read more: Thalidomide Maker Asks Forgiveness.

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Forgiveness as an Investment in Your Future

Do you realize that your practicing forgiveness now may pay unexpected dividends for you decades from now? As an example, look at how the Amish community handled the tragedy in Pennsylvania in 2006. The world wondered how the community could stand in forgiveness after 10 girls were shot and 5 died.  The answer: Forgiveness is part of their daily culture.

Please realize that each decision and each act of forgiveness now may pay great dividends for you and others 20 years from now. Forgiveness today is an investment in your future.

R.E.

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“We Forgive You,” Says Father of Slain Son to the Killer

Waltham (Ma) News Tribune – For the first time in nearly two years, Mamadou Ndiaye got to speak to the man who stabbed and killed his only son, Elhadji.

But, instead of lashing out at Robenson Daniel, Ndiaye spoke of forgiveness.

“We forgive you, from our heart,” Ndiaye told Daniel after Daniel pleaded guilty in Middlesex Superior Court Thursday to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of Elhadji Ndiaye at Regis College.

“We forgive you, person-to-person, we forgive you. As a family, we forgive you,” Ndiaye said. “This is the hardest thing that has ever happened to me. He was my only son. Nothing this hard will ever happen to me again, but we are human and we forgive you.”

Read more: Father of slain Waltham teen to son’s killer: ‘We forgive you’.

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Can Forgiveness Make You Beautiful?

Forgiveness as a cosmetic for the inner you? How could that be? Well, I think it is true. When people are unjust to us, we can scowl and droop our shoulders, and purse our lips…..

or we can fight the tendency to be perpetually angry and give the one who hurt us: kindness, respect, generosity, and love. As we love in the face of cruelty, we scowl less, droop our shoulders less, and even learn to smile again.

The key, I think, is in the inner joy of knowing that the other has not defeated us. We know that we have a way to combat bitterness and it is called love. And love makes us internally beautiful. Augustine of Hippo first said that.

As we experience joy and love within, it somehow finds it way out….to others. And they see your joy and love and call it beautiful.

Forgiveness is more than a cosmetic. Cosmetics cover up. Forgiveness uncovers. Forgiveness reveals the beauty that is underneath…..and by doing so, it makes you more beautiful.

R.E.

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Should an Apology Lead to Legal Pardon in the Philippines?

ManilaStandardToday.com, Manila, Philippines – A man who ran a red light and was ticketed by a law enforcement officer has apologized for hitting the officer with his fist. He is hoping for a legal pardon because his job requires the use of a car. Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino made the distinction between the officer accepting the apology and the Development Authority continuing with justice.

Motorist Robert Blair Carabuena issued a public apology for berating and hitting the traffic officer who tried to cite him for going through a red light. Despite the apology, the Land Transportation Office maintained that Carabuena should be held accountable for his action.

“LTO will not accept the public apology of Carabuena. He violated a law. He should be accountable for his action. Regardless of whether he gets pardoned by the MMDA traffic enforcer, the LTO will determine its own independent course of action,” said LTO Metro Manila director Teofilo Guadiz.

Story is here: Forgive me, Carabuena asks authorities.

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