The Last Mile (Essay Sample)

The Last Mile
While I am not religious, I do believe that I am spiritually related. I have a better sense of how my inner self is on a transformative path as a result of RADICAL Forgiveness. At first, the idea of RADICAL Forgiveness throws me out of my comfort zone. However, the more I read and re-read the author's illustration of his girlfriend, Jill, the more persuaded I become that this idea makes perfect sense. Simply said.
What is the concept of RADICAL Forgiveness? To put it another way, it is a belief that something in the universe is flawless, as-is, and thus there is little to forgive. Would it sound a bit saucy? I concur. However, for me, it is less about making sense of everything and more about becoming receptive to the concept of everything and, as a result, turning the energy away from keeping grudges, resentment, rage, and hurt toward others and my views about how they have wronged me and toward realizing that I have a preference about how I view existence and that not everything is so grave that I must cling onto it indefinitely. When I think about people as "gifts," "opportunities," or even "soul mates," which seems ridiculous in my mind, I am no longer overwhelmed with the emotions that feel as though they are running my life. Have you ever felt as if you'd never be able to forgive someone? Is there someone in your life that gives you a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach while you're around them or sometimes only thinking about them? Wouldn't you want to be free of the negative energy? Wouldn't you just live your life in harmony, free from the relentless fear of spiritual and physical illness? Consider this: As you harbor ill will against others, where do you envision harboring them? It resides inside you. What effect do you believe this has on your body and health?
For years, I brought the pain of my violent mother with me. All she has accomplished has been a manifestation of how I am as a human, how I see myself, how I see myself in the mirror, and how I relate to others. Around the man who molested me, I've borne guilt, embarrassment, pain, confusion, and rage. I've held a sense of betrayal after discovering that the only man I met as a child was not my father. I've kept the void inside of me feeling that I was unwanted when I was born. For 31 years of my existence, the force has resided inside my body. I've also reframed the scenarios in my mind and started to reframe my life events. To be clear, one month does not erase 31 years of self-created drama; nevertheless, it has opened my eyes and h