Day 175: "Dish best served cold..."

Justice has been served. Sandusky was found guilty on 45 counts of sexual crimes against a minor.  For weeks so many have been posting and chatting about this man's hideous crimes and his impending guilty verdict.  So many have been wanting their pound of flesh, voicing their anger and rage towards this animal and wishing to see a violent end to his existence.  Revenge!

Yeah, revenge is "a dish best served cold...", but really, how often is revenge satiated?  There's an immediate yet short-lived gratification when justice or karma has been served on the guilty.  But the feelings of pain, suffering and loss still exists and they will linger for years if not for one's entire life.  Revenge only destroys that which has caused us pain.  It cannot repair the damage that was originally done to us.

In this recent event I noticed that so many rejoiced over the verdict and made comments on how this animal's punishment should be doled out but nowhere have I seen or heard prayers or wishes of healing, compassion or love for all of those involved.  I'm sure many people feel that way but why is it we only have the courage to publicly denounce someone but will sit privately, quietly to think upon those that need the power of healing and love? Why can't we be just as open about our feelings of love as we are about our feelings of hate?

It's one thing to love the lovable but how about showing compassion or prayers for those that would cause you harm?  In Sandusky's case I'm not praying for his happiness or good will.  I pray that the evil within him that drove him to sexually terrorize children will somehow leave his soul.  My hating him would only bring more hate to a situation that screams for love and compassion.  He has created his own hell and will now live within it the remainder of his life.  Can't change that, nor do I want to.

But for the victims, their families and those close to them, I pray for their recovery.  I pray that feelings of fear, terror, anger, and hate will eventually be replaced with love, compassion, understanding and forgiveness.  It's a tough mountain to climb.  For some that may be an impossible task.  But truly, if we are only projecting feelings of rage then rage is what we will have.  Think upon those that have suffered and in your mind, heart and in your soul project feelings of calm, compassion, joy, trust, strength and most importantly, love.  Put it out there publicly and privately. 

Our salvation depends on it.