didn't make that decision."
"What did you do?"
"Well, I was still a bit disoriented from the drug, so I quietly got up, excused myself, as graciously as I could, and went home."
"I had no idea. Did you call the police?"
"Not at first. It was a couple of days before I put all of the pieces together. People didn't talk about 'date-rape' very much back then. Anyway, when I did talk to the police, they went to his apartment and arrested him. He initially plead 'not-guilty' and the case went to trial. So, I had to testify as a witness against him."
"Was he found guilty?"
"Oh yeah, and he served time. Before he was released, I decided to move away and get a fresh start with my life. That's when I came here."
"Wow, otherwise I would not have met you." Nita thought, out loud.
"I am glad I met you, too, Nita. But, there is another, important part of this story."
"What?"
"I forgave him." Hannah explained.
"How could you do that for him after he did such an awful, disgusting thing to you?" Nita was feeling a bit angry.
"I didn't do it for him. Forgiveness is not so much for the other person as it is for you. When you choose not to forgive someone, even when there is no question about whether they're wrong, if I hadn't forgiven that man, it would be like me building a bomb, setting the timer and keeping it on my lap. Eventually, it would blow up and kill me. And that guy would never know what happened, or care. Forgiveness was a big step for me to move on with my life."
"Wow." Nita remembered she hadn't forgiven Henry. She thought it was enough to stay away from him and make sure he didn't come near her. Now, she was wondering if she might be hurting herself by not forgiving him. "How did he take it when you forgave him?"
"I don't know if he even knows that I did" Hannah clarified. "Forgiveness is something that happens on the inside. I guess some people feel the need to speak with the person they are forgiving, but often that is not possible because the person is dead or they are not safe to approach. You can still forgive without talking to the person who hurt you."
Nita summoned the courage to speak, "Hannah, you know I'm thinking about Henry, right now."
"Yes, I can imagine."
"Do you think I should forgive him?"
"Absolutely, and I believe that you will, when you're ready."
"How will I know when I am ready?"
"I don't know the answer to that. But, you'll know. Until then, may I suggest that you pray and talk to God about it?"
"Sure, I can do that." Nita agreed.
"It's gonna be alright. I'll be praying for you, too."
Chapter 6
Speed Dating
The Karberry Community Center was crowded with more than a hundred speed daters. The coordinators were careful to register equal numbers of men and women in advance. A handful of late-comers tried to add themselves to the list, but Security calmly advised them that the list was full and escorted them back to the parking lot.
The event was sponsored by KISS-LOVE 91, a radio station that featured the "Love Song Hour" every Friday and Saturday night. Nita remembered listening to that station with Henry. In recent months, their favorite song had become her most-hated song. She hoped that they wouldn't play it at the event.
Hannah and the cousins had already made it past the sign-in table by the time Nita arrived. She didn't take notice of others who were in line with her. She was just going along with her friends. As she got her name badge and seat assignment, Hannah was waving and motioning her to meet her near the refreshments.
"The dating will begin in 10 minutes." The radio station manager announced. "The ladies will remain seated at their tables. When the bell rings, the men will visit you at your table. Men, you have been given the table number you are to visit first. When the bell rings again, you will move to the next numbered table. Whoever is at the last table will move to table number one. The bell will ring every 2 minutes."
Nita
"What did you do?"
"Well, I was still a bit disoriented from the drug, so I quietly got up, excused myself, as graciously as I could, and went home."
"I had no idea. Did you call the police?"
"Not at first. It was a couple of days before I put all of the pieces together. People didn't talk about 'date-rape' very much back then. Anyway, when I did talk to the police, they went to his apartment and arrested him. He initially plead 'not-guilty' and the case went to trial. So, I had to testify as a witness against him."
"Was he found guilty?"
"Oh yeah, and he served time. Before he was released, I decided to move away and get a fresh start with my life. That's when I came here."
"Wow, otherwise I would not have met you." Nita thought, out loud.
"I am glad I met you, too, Nita. But, there is another, important part of this story."
"What?"
"I forgave him." Hannah explained.
"How could you do that for him after he did such an awful, disgusting thing to you?" Nita was feeling a bit angry.
"I didn't do it for him. Forgiveness is not so much for the other person as it is for you. When you choose not to forgive someone, even when there is no question about whether they're wrong, if I hadn't forgiven that man, it would be like me building a bomb, setting the timer and keeping it on my lap. Eventually, it would blow up and kill me. And that guy would never know what happened, or care. Forgiveness was a big step for me to move on with my life."
"Wow." Nita remembered she hadn't forgiven Henry. She thought it was enough to stay away from him and make sure he didn't come near her. Now, she was wondering if she might be hurting herself by not forgiving him. "How did he take it when you forgave him?"
"I don't know if he even knows that I did" Hannah clarified. "Forgiveness is something that happens on the inside. I guess some people feel the need to speak with the person they are forgiving, but often that is not possible because the person is dead or they are not safe to approach. You can still forgive without talking to the person who hurt you."
Nita summoned the courage to speak, "Hannah, you know I'm thinking about Henry, right now."
"Yes, I can imagine."
"Do you think I should forgive him?"
"Absolutely, and I believe that you will, when you're ready."
"How will I know when I am ready?"
"I don't know the answer to that. But, you'll know. Until then, may I suggest that you pray and talk to God about it?"
"Sure, I can do that." Nita agreed.
"It's gonna be alright. I'll be praying for you, too."
Chapter 6
Speed Dating
The Karberry Community Center was crowded with more than a hundred speed daters. The coordinators were careful to register equal numbers of men and women in advance. A handful of late-comers tried to add themselves to the list, but Security calmly advised them that the list was full and escorted them back to the parking lot.
The event was sponsored by KISS-LOVE 91, a radio station that featured the "Love Song Hour" every Friday and Saturday night. Nita remembered listening to that station with Henry. In recent months, their favorite song had become her most-hated song. She hoped that they wouldn't play it at the event.
Hannah and the cousins had already made it past the sign-in table by the time Nita arrived. She didn't take notice of others who were in line with her. She was just going along with her friends. As she got her name badge and seat assignment, Hannah was waving and motioning her to meet her near the refreshments.
"The dating will begin in 10 minutes." The radio station manager announced. "The ladies will remain seated at their tables. When the bell rings, the men will visit you at your table. Men, you have been given the table number you are to visit first. When the bell rings again, you will move to the next numbered table. Whoever is at the last table will move to table number one. The bell will ring every 2 minutes."
Nita
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