Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.”  C.S. Lewis
“Bob Hoover was a famous test pilot and a frequent performer at air shows. 
Once when he returned to his home in Los Angeles from an air show in San Diego, both engines of his World War Two propeller plane suddenly stopped.  With skill and a lot of luck he safely landed the plane without injury to himself or the other two passengers. 
After the emergency landing he inspected the airplane’s fuel.  As he suspected the plane had been filled with jet fuel rather than gasoline.  He then asked to see the mechanic who serviced his plan. 
The mechanic, horrified at the prospect of seeing the man he had nearly killed, anticipated the full force of Hoovers anger.
But Hoover put his arm around the mechanic and said, “To show you I’m sure you will never do this again, I want you to service my F-51 tomorrow.” 
There is no doubt in my mind that forgiveness is hard.  I find this especially so when what is forgiven is something that has had a big impact on me or those close to me.
What I do find though is not forgiving has an even bigger impact on me.  I do not know how often I have heard of those who have something to forgive, struggling while the perpetrator continues on totally unaware of the dilemma.
I may feel vindication is justified.  Yet I know there is very limited, temporary satisfaction in that.  I do not reckon my pain justifies my inflicting pain on another.
This seems to run contrary to accepted wisdom yet to me accepted wisdom is not always right.  My and the experience of many seem to fly in the face of that thought.  Naturally there are unique circumstances, but to me exceptions do not negate the rule.
But having said that, it is so much it is easier to say than to do.  I sure need help with that one.

Our Irises are coming out.  They are in a few places around the yard but there is one place they are prominent.  Near the back door.
They never last long.  About a day each really.  They are a “here today and gone tomorrow” thing.  But there are ways they make up for the flowers being so short lived.  They are prolific.  I never cease to be surprised how many there are.  The other way they make up for it is by in my opinion sheer beauty.
I actually don’t even know where the ones we have came from.  I know I am good at forgetting what they look like, but I am also always impressed by them when they bloom.
They are fairly forgiving to.  I have only just started to water regularly in the last couple of months.  Before that it was very hit and miss.  But every year they flowered.  I guess I have been motivated by some plants I have in a pot.  I got them because they are perennial flowering plants.  They actually really are that, but water does seem to help.
Mostly in the past I was good with plants that thrived on neglect.  But the way these ones droop when they need water has caused me to change my ways.  I water them when they need it and water the rest of the plants at the same time.
We do have other Iris’s scattered in the front yard and they are coming out at the moment too.  They last longer.  I really like the randomness of them and the pleasant surprise of a flower hidden away.  It really could bloom unseen.  But it is seen, and I like it a lot.
We also have water Iris’s which come out most years.  I am not so sure they will be out this year as I have not been so good at supplying the water to them.  I water the back but am not so diligent with the front and that is where they are in a fake garden bowl.
The bow was bought from a nursery that no longer exists.  I got pots from a place that no longer exists too.  Both have been replaced either by a gym or car yard.  I really enjoyed going to both as they has stuff that was not seen everywhere,
Oh well I do enjoy the yard.  I love the flowers that come out on plants.  They are just doing their thing and I like their thing a lot.

I watched the NFL final last night.  I did want Melbourne to win but it was not to be.  14/6 is not a runaway victory, but being in front when the whistle goes signalling it is over is what matters.
I am way more comfortable with overwhelming victory.  As it was I was not assured of a Penrith victory until there was only about two minutes to go.  One more try from Melbourne could have made the final result unknown till the end.
I tend to feel I can relax when a team is in a runaway position.  Relaxing can’t be too early though.  I would have never dreamed Penrith would run down the Bronco’s last year.  I remember seeing them do that years ago too.  I would not have believed they could score as many tries in around five minutes.
I don’t think it makes me greedy.  I just have a fairly high concept of enough.  Overwhelming to me makes victory by my opposition an impossibility.  I am comfortable when something is over.  Taking something out of the realm of “as good as over” to “genuinely over.”   
Having won at the final whistle means to me genuinely over.    When a win is a runaway win and I a confident of the result is when I can bring on other players and make everyone a part of the victory.  Until I really feel that is the case, I cannot risk it.
That is why overwhelming is important to me.  “Just” is too stressful.  Of course “just” is a win and I will take it even if I am miles in front or just in front.  But I know I feel better when I am in a “miles in front” position.  Even then I cannot underestimate my opposition.  They come wanting to win.  Hunger and ability are a dangerous combination.
So my team did not win last night but I want my life to be a win.  An overwhelming win preferably.