Forgiveness

I had a lovely post written out on the subject of forgiveness, and how I don’t do enough of it so that’s one of my New Year’s Resolutions this year. To forgive. Others and myself.

But then, something happened that is sorely testing me.

Over the past weekend, the cemetary where Freddie’s uncle, grandparents, and great-grandparents are buried was heavily vandalized. I cannot even bring myself to link to any of the news reports because seeing the aerial footage is so disturbing.

In a nutshell, the vandals knocked over 499 gravestones.

Four.

Hundred.

Ninety-Nine.

I know this isn’t the first time the cemetary has been vandalized, nor will it be the last (God knows), but the magnitude of it is shocking.

We don’t belong to the synagogue that the cemetary belongs to, but Freddie’s family belonged there for many, many years. Freddie spent the better part of yesterday evening on the phone with the temple and his family, trying to make sure everyone was aware of it. The synagogue told us to email them the names of the family members who are there and they would try to get some information to us as soon as they can.

I hope a lot of the stones are able to be repaired. Someone I know whose father works in the granite industry said that stones can be repaired with epoxy and the cracks will not be terribly noticeable. Some of the stones were really a mess, though, and will probably have to be replaced.

The police are classifying this as “criminal mischief” and not a hate crime. How is it NOT a hate crime, I wonder? Because they didn’t spray swastikas on everything after knocking it all down? Is that what kept it from crossing that line? I… don’t get it.

I really hope they find whoever did this, but I’m sure they won’t get much more than a slap on the wrist. What a shame. I feel bad for their parents.

Which brings me back to forgiveness. Is something like this forgivable? I can pity the perpetrators and hope that they get whatever help they so obviously need, but forgive? I just don’t know if that’s possible.