Scott Fowler: Rae Carruth's prison release nears as son he wanted dead, full of thank yous, turns 18
This one article reads like a novel, with chapters on each angle to this story.
I'm AMAZED that a journalist would capture all of this, AND get it published as a whole.
Not only does the story speak to the value of lives and relations despite adversity,
and show the power of positive commitment instead of wallowing in victimhood.
But the grandmother explains why she forgave the men who killed her daughter
and left her grandson disabled for life: she needed to have unconditional love to help her grandson,
so she had to forgive the past and the people responsible, or that negativity would affect her child:
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1. Saundra Adams starts her talk by telling the men that she believes in hope and forgiveness. She says that she also believes a man should not be defined only by the worst act he has ever committed. She plans to get into the reasons she long ago forgave Carruth and her conspirators later.
2. For years, Adams has said she has already forgiven Carruth and the other three men involved in the conspiracy for what they did. Of the four co-conspirators, only Watkins and Carruth are still incarcerated. All but Carruth have apologized to her and Chancellor Lee.
She says people should not believe she is totally pure of heart for forgiving them, for there is also a selfish component to the act.
"Forgiveness is for me," she says. "It's so I can love unconditionally. And I think my grandson deserves unconditional love, because that's what he gives. It's total, unconditional love. If I did not forgive Rae, it would block that flow. So many times parents hold animosity toward one of the other parents and they take it out subconsciously on the children. I never wanted that to happen."
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So this story confirms what counselors and studies have found, that forgiveness and faith correlate with better health and ability to recover from traumatic events and setbacks.
Because of her forgiving open approach to managing the aftermath of the incident, the other people in the story were better able to come forward and help the family longterm with the expenses and support needed for this grandmother to raise this special son by herself. If she hadn't been so receptive, they couldn't have helped.
This one article reads like a novel, with chapters on each angle to this story.
I'm AMAZED that a journalist would capture all of this, AND get it published as a whole.
Not only does the story speak to the value of lives and relations despite adversity,
and show the power of positive commitment instead of wallowing in victimhood.
But the grandmother explains why she forgave the men who killed her daughter
and left her grandson disabled for life: she needed to have unconditional love to help her grandson,
so she had to forgive the past and the people responsible, or that negativity would affect her child:
------------------------------------
1. Saundra Adams starts her talk by telling the men that she believes in hope and forgiveness. She says that she also believes a man should not be defined only by the worst act he has ever committed. She plans to get into the reasons she long ago forgave Carruth and her conspirators later.
2. For years, Adams has said she has already forgiven Carruth and the other three men involved in the conspiracy for what they did. Of the four co-conspirators, only Watkins and Carruth are still incarcerated. All but Carruth have apologized to her and Chancellor Lee.
She says people should not believe she is totally pure of heart for forgiving them, for there is also a selfish component to the act.
"Forgiveness is for me," she says. "It's so I can love unconditionally. And I think my grandson deserves unconditional love, because that's what he gives. It's total, unconditional love. If I did not forgive Rae, it would block that flow. So many times parents hold animosity toward one of the other parents and they take it out subconsciously on the children. I never wanted that to happen."
------------------------------------
So this story confirms what counselors and studies have found, that forgiveness and faith correlate with better health and ability to recover from traumatic events and setbacks.
Because of her forgiving open approach to managing the aftermath of the incident, the other people in the story were better able to come forward and help the family longterm with the expenses and support needed for this grandmother to raise this special son by herself. If she hadn't been so receptive, they couldn't have helped.
