The art to forgive - Nancy Michaud

The heinous murder of Nancy Michaud in the small village of Rivière-Ouelle (1200 inhabitants) makes us think about the scenarios of the series Criminal Minds presented to American television (CBS).

The perpetrator is often a neighbor who seems quite harmless and very friendly. Anyone who looks at the picture of the killer Francis Proulx, with his intellectual glasses and his clean haircut, would agree to become his friend. However, the individual is a dangerous man who killed a young woman and then had sex with her corpse. The reality is worse than the fiction ...

The conviction of the murderer to 25 years in state prison made the spouse of the victim said that he would have preferred that the criminal had been sentenced to death ... People close to the spouse told him that he should forgive or he will never resume the course of his own life and allow his children to do the same. If they forget the crime against Nancy, the survivors will continue to live their lives otherwise they will waste years in the ruminant on a revenge that will probably be impossible.

According to me: "You cannot forgive our enemies, but they should be ignored. " We must forget the crimes and injustices committed against us but, forgetting does not means to forgive. Forgiveness is different than forgotten. Forgive someone is to accept that it takes an active role in our lives, it has an existence as such and, at best, love and respect. I do not think this behavior is humanly possible. Only Pope John Paul II was able to forgive the gunman who had attacked in an assassination attempt. My personal philosophy of life is ignorance of the existence of the enemy. There is nothing worse as revenge to ignore someone!

This behavior has been taught by my friend, now deceased, Ben Weider. He told me one day: "I have no enemy! I eliminated all of them from my thoughts. This does not mean that I will be reckless and let them hurt me again but I forget their existence and I live my life. If they cross my path, it is obvious that I will make sure not to be their victim a second time. I do not forgive, but I forget and I am very careful! " This is a very wise advice and invite people of Rivière-Ouelle to apply it.

Bernard Bujold - http://www.lestudio1.com/
Note: Last year at the same date, I wrote an editorial about Rivière-Ouelle. It is still relevant today. If you are interested to read it again, here is the link.
Link to Editorial on Rivière Ouelle (June 2008)
Photo 1: Rivière-Ouelle
Photo 2: Nancy Michaud (1971-2008)
Photo 3: Francis Proulx