Berwick Thought for the Week article: Sorry

Perhaps it was because I didn’t feel like I had anything to say which, for those who know me, is a rare occurrence indeed. Or perhaps, and this is most likely, my memory isn’t what it used to be and I forgot. Anyway, I’m sorry to have put the burden of producing an extra ‘Thought for the Week’ onto somebody else.

Having said that, there has been something on my mind recently – forgiveness. What started me thinking was something that C S Lewis said: “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”

Why this was particularly relevant to me was because my wife and I recently met up with some friends who we hadn’t seen for a while following a rather unfortunate series of events resulting in a sense of affront on both parts.

We met up and whilst there was a distinct tension to begin with, after a while, past transgressions, whilst not forgotten, were certainly forgiven.

And so, an important friendship was salvaged and the world is a better place for me as a result.

Forgiving is such a wonderful thing; forgiving other people and sometimes forgiving ourselves. Again, as C S Lewis said, “if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than him”.

So, to the unfortunate individual who had to sit down and write an extra ‘Thought for the Week’, please forgive me. I’ll try very hard to remember next time.

David Harper is a Berwick resident who runs his own planning, property and environmental consultancy. When he’s not working or spending time with his wife, Colette, and their two boys and their families, he can be found restoring old cars and motorbikes.