I'll Take You Back

Today I had a song in my head.  I have heard it, but I do not know it.  All I had in my head was four words (five if I’ll” is made I will.)  “I’ll take you back.”
It got me thinking about a word that we do not hear much of these days.  We hear the like of “awesome dude,” and “power of good” and “deadly” but I am yet to hear “forgiven dude.”  Forgiven to me is one of the most beautiful words in the English language.  I know of no other word that brings me such relief.
I will never forget the end of the movie “Gattaca”.  Only perfect people could go into space.  There was a guy who was imperfect but wanted to go into space.  The whole movie was about the measures he went to to maintain the look of perfection.  It was only as he boarded the spacecraft and had to give an unexpected DNA test and fails that a doctor revealed he knew he was not perfect.  But he changed the result and let him on anyway.  The doctor’s son was genetically inferior and longed for space travel.
I heard of one coach that had taken the word “perfect” out of his motivational speeches.  He had replaced it with “the best you can be.”
I know I blow it, but I also know that does not define me.  I know I am not alone in sometimes saying or doing what is not best, or not saying or doing what I should.  I feel bad.  One error can disqualify me.  But one word sums up for me the ability to move on.  Forgiveness.
It is hard enough to forgive myself especially as blowing it is not a onetime thing.  It is not like “oh I remember back in 74 I blew it.  Never again.”  To me it is right there are consequences for actions.  What I do hold to is that I can be free on the inside while being bound on the outside.
So much today seems to be built on algorithms.  But algorithms are not the domain of forgiveness.  Humans and God are.  I am amazed at the hardness I see on display.    Condemning voices are loud and strong. Out the window seems to be treating others as I would be treated, being replaced by tear another apart.  Others do not matter if they are not me.
I appreciate that behaviours are judged, but it almost seems compassion and understanding are a thing of the past.  It is being replaced with a kick hard and continuously policy for those who do not agree with me.
What I am pleased about is that many abandon that.  While policy makers in particular are happy to continue down the road of hardness, others acknowledge their own imperfections and the need for a second chance.  I need that.