An Australian man invited the people who bullied his daughter to attend the funeral of his daughter after she committed suicide at age 14. She was a victim of bullying. He wanted them to view the devastation they had created.
Everett Worthington, a professor emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University, says, “There are two types of forgiveness: Decisional forgiveness means releasing anger toward that person; emotional forgiveness is a slower process of replacing negative emotions toward the person with positive ones, such as sympathy or compassion.” The latter has been found to reap more health benefits.
Worthington points out that the grieving father doesn’t seem to be displaying either, instead offering something unique. “His actions can be defined as ‘restorative justice’ — he’s giving his daughter’s bullies a chance to redeem themselves and connect with society on a different footing. That is a great social outcome.”
Restorative justice brings those harmed by crime or conflict and those responsible for the harm into communication, enabling everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward. Let’s get a whisper on the subject of restorative justice:
Words can have the most negative impact on the body, mind, and spirit. The projection of hate toward a sensitive being is the arrow that pierces the heart. Once a damaging thought or an aggressive statement has been made, the energy has been organized and directed at a target. The energetic wound from such an attack can penetrate to the depth of the soul. The open heart cannot easily deflect such energy, and a blemish is formed.
Like any type of scar, the pain can be brought to the surface with a memory that scratches the wound. Any response that includes a desire to leave the physical body can be connected to a remembrance of feeling the love that exists in the cradle of divinity. Should actions of self-harm become part of a response, the devastating results affect the collective conscious of the family, the community, and all who come in contact.
Any form of restorative action can serve to help heal the wounds for many, including future generations. Separation is created by the ego that judges without full conscious understanding of the potential harm. Being aware to the pain that mean-spirited actions cause others can bring a level of understanding that creates change. When humans face hatred through the eyes of those who are suffering, the choice to turn away from the darkness becomes clear.
Love is the energy that builds life. Kindness flows the energy of love in the direction of another human, uniting conscious behavior. Restorative justice is a collective measure of taking full responsibility for the damage created by harmful actions. The duty of every person is to love their fellow humans on the path to spiritual growth. Words of love and kindness are the most powerful way to create positive energy that soothes and lifts the evolving human.
Bring joy, ease suffering and create beauty, then dance like you mean it!
Blessings, Russell
"Justice will not be served if we maintain our exclusive focus on the questions that drive our current justice systems: What laws have been broken? Who did it? What do they deserve? True justice requires, instead, that we ask questions such as these: Who has been hurt? What do they need? Whose obligations and responsibilities are these? Who has a stake in this situation? What is the process that can involve the stakeholders in finding a solution?” Howard Zehr
