As a women’s group progressed through a series on forgiveness in the trauma healing curriculum, one participant declared that she absolutely could not forgive her family for the things they had done to her. This woman, Azra, repeatedly emphasized that the best possible outcome for those who had wronged her—having endured severe injustices that would turn one’s stomach—was to see them pass away before her very eyes.
The facilitators felt discouraged and wondered if there could be a breakthrough for this woman. They contacted the author of the curriculum for advice and were reassured that the best way to help Azra move forward was to trust the process and continue with the series. A few weeks later, Azra surprised everyone when she blurted out that she had spent the past few days thinking about what it might look like to forgive her family.
One month later, in a follow-up conversation, Azra described her forgiveness journey with a striking metaphor. She said,
I feel like what was done to me is a block of ice I am always struggling to hold up over my head. Recently, though, I’ve felt as if that block of ice is beginning to melt. It’s still heavy, and I’m still holding it up over my head, but it’s getting lighter. It’s like there is a ray of light boring into the ice block, and it’s starting to shine on me.”
The Women’s Health team is grateful for the transformation and hope women are experiencing through the services offered at the community center.
