From Teens May 20, 2019 Issue

The key to forgiveness

Anna Matthys-Pearce

One afternoon, my friend and I were hanging out in the pickup area outside my school, waiting for my mom to come get me. Suddenly, I heard a small clank on the ground. When I looked down, I saw that a tiny piece of my necklace had apparently just fallen off. I picked it up, and my friend and I tried to put it back on. But while my friend was trying to connect it, the piece slipped from her fingers and fell back onto the ground. Neither of us had any idea where it had landed. There was a patch of grass nearby, and we were both worried that it had fallen there and that it would be impossible to find.

We started looking for the piece, but I have to admit that even though my friend was helping me, I was not thinking the kindest thoughts about her. I felt like blaming her and giving up the search, because how would we ever find it now?

I started to reverse those negative thoughts, turn toward God, and forgive my friend.