On TV the other night, one of the sport channels featured a short show on soccer player, Didier Drogba, and his work to facilitate peace and reconciliation in his home country of Ivory Coast. This reminded me of how incredibly important symbols of hope and forgiveness are.
I look at South Africa where Nelson Mandela's release from prison spurred such hope and his personal example of forgiveness avoided so much bloodshed. Both forgiveness and hope can be such difficult attributes to find in many of the intractable struggles that plague the African continent and yet when found can be tremendously powerful.
Forgiveness can be such a difficult outcome to achieve. I think how difficult it can be living a life relatively untouched by serious crime or violence, and then I compare it to the incredible pain and hardship individuals in conflict zones must experience. It is incredible that some people do manage to forgive in these circumstances, and at the same time, it is so vital. Cycles of violence seem to wreck such havoc and even those seeking retribution must seldom find it worth it.
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