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Hope And Forgiveness In A Long Way Gone

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The importance of hope and forgiveness is sometimes overlooked; however, they are necessary in order to heal and move forward in life. In Dr. Edith Eger’s novel The Choice: Embrace the Possible; in Ishmael Beah’s memoir A Long Way Gone; and in Eddie Jaku’s Tedx Talk, A Holocaust Survivor’s Blueprint for Happiness; the significance of hope and forgiveness are emphasized through their unique life experiences. Dr. Eger and Eddie Jaku, both Holocaust survivors, demonstrate the meaning of hope and compassion. Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier, displays the meaning of optimism and forgiveness. Each prove exactly why positivity and vindication are the way to live life. Individuals need hope and forgiveness in order to heal and move forward in …show more content…

In the Tedx Talk, A Holocaust Survivor’s Blueprint for Happiness, Eddie Jaku indeed explains why he is so grateful for his life and says, “Hate is a disease, which may destroy your enemy, but destroys you in the process” (5:34-5:38); his wise guidance can help those who struggle with forgiveness because hating is not beneficial for oneself or the adversary. He suggests that we forgive our enemy, for holding onto a grudge will destory us more than our foe. Moreover, describing how he finds so much joy in life, Eddie Jaku says, “Happiness does not fall from the sky; it is in your hands” (8:08-8:11), which proves that anyone can be happy since it is in our power to choose peace of mind over misery. He shows that each of us have happiness within ourselves; we just have to unleash it. Subsequently, Eddie Jaku, explaining why we should be thankful for our own lives, says, “Tomorrow will come, but, first, enjoy today” (9:17-9:19); his vast life experiences, being nearly 100 years old, help demonstrate how we should all be grateful for everything we have and the opportunity to wake up each morning. He believes that we should truly appreciate every day of our life, even when we are faced with challenges. Jaku’s experiences illustrate that hope and forgiveness are necessary for …show more content…

Edith Eger’s experiences in The Choice: Embrace the Possible depict how hope and forgiveness are necessary for healing and moving forward in life. Evidently, Dr. Edith Eger would often lean on her mother for comfort as a young girl, who would say, “No one can take away from you what you’ve put in your mind”; Dr. Eger mentions that “we don’t know where we are going or what’s going to happen” (Eger 34), but we must use our thoughts and mind to overcome difficulties in life. Certainly wondering if she would make it out of Auschwitz alive, Dr. Edith Eger would reassure herself with a simple, yet meaningful saying: “If I survive today, tomorrow I will be free” (Eger 44), which demonstrates the ultimate meaning of hope. Dr. Eger uses this mantra to help herself stay alive on the inside. This powerful saying keeps her going through the most horribly grueling time in her life. Dr. Edith Eger, undoubtedly teaching a valuable lesson while consoling a struggling patient in a therapy session, says, “You can’t heal what you don’t feel” (Eger 196); she educates the reader with the fact that one must confront their struggles and feel them in order to move forward. This can be applied to our lives, especially when we are having trouble advancing past adversity. We must feel before we heal. Eger’s experiences in The Choice: Embrace the Possible depict how hope and forgiveness are necessary for healing and moving forward in life through using our

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