There is much in the news today about the "battle royal" among "battling royals." If you have followed the trajectory of Charles and Diana, and their two sons, you will know that their history is filled with heartbreak, disappointment, loss and grinding deep despair. To say that they have experienced "life in a fishbowl" is understatement. Every idle word is monitored, every throw-away sentence, heard when their guard is down, gets reported.
There is no room for ordinary life, or frivolous laughter to let off steam.
Today I read of how Will pushed Harry to the ground, smashed a pot on Harry's back, and of the older wanting to provoke a fist-fight with the younger while William was in "a hot red mist."
Will apologized, Harry put it behind him, we didn't need to know,...
And now we do.
Something in Harry is fixated on needing to tell us everything.
Why?
The two are bitter, not better.
We see bitter brothers embracing not each other, but yesterday's despair.
"Bitterness is nothing more than old unforgiveness...
Bitterness is what grows from a seed of injustice, planted and watered in the garden of "what-might-have-been." Nurture it, feed it, and let it grow, and that seed brings forth fruit that tastes sweet at first bite, but turns sour the inner being with a harsh and biting deep despair." (Power Praying, p. 189)
The injuries are real, the damage done--and life beckons with a promise of hope--unless we shape our hearts to be a home to harbor vitriol, and fill the pantry with pints of bitter, fermented from lament over yesterday's despair.
There is a way forward.
An old quote makes the point:
The one who forgives ends the argument.
. . It was written by the Rev. Dr. Timothy Rees, the Bishop of Wales of the Church of England.
The groaning of creation wrung out by pain and care,
the anguish of a million hearts that break in dumb despair--
O Crucified Redeemer, these are Your cries of pain!
O may they break our selfish hearts and love come in to reign.
There is something that we can do. Do you want to find out how?
