Forgiveness Time
By Moshe Katz
CEO
Israeli Krav International

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April 28, 2017, Israel

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I am on my way to visit my dad. It is our annual family gathering at his grave, followed by coffee, as he would have liked. I think of dad's sweet smile and I think of forgiveness.

My dad is my role model and when I have difficult decisions to make I think of him. My wise father, who is now in heaven, what would you have done? How would you have handled this tricky situation? There are so many different angles to this, one wrong move and I offend someone, lose a friend, a student, a client. I turn to heaven and I say, Dad I need your wisdom.

I think of all the anger in the world. I think of the senseless anger we have towards each other; brothers who do not speak to each other for years over minor disagreements, fathers and sons who go decades without a word until suddenly, finally, the heart softens and true wisdom takes over. With a tear and an embrace all is forgiven and forgotten and the love that lies dormant returns to the surface.

And I wonder, why did it take so long? Why did we wait so long? Why did we waste so many years being angry?

And I think of teachers and students, of misunderstandings that ended wonderful relationships and I wonder how long will it take for the heart to soften and for forgiveness and understanding to take place? How much anger will we allow before we return to our senses?

One dear student/friend, named Talya, wrote to me that in honor of my father she will do a special kind deed. She never met him but she said he must have been a very special man. So I ask all of you to do the same; in honor of my dear father, who inspired me to inspire you, do something good - find someone whom you are angry with, reach out, say a kind word, sooth the wounds and bring a little peace to your life and to our troubled world

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