We all make mistakes. We say and do things in the heat of the moment that we immediately regret and we wish we could simply reach out and snatch the words or the deed right out of the air. Thankfully, the gift of humanity that grants us the privilege to stumble from time to time, also gives us the ability to forgive.
Paula Deen. Beautiful, wholesome, charming, gifted, wealthy, and blessed. She fills our screens with stark blue eyes, dazzling platinum hair, and a mesmerizing Southern drawl. We gasp in delight when she tosses an extra stick of butter into the skillet and we giggle nervously when she tops sugary bread pudding with authentic whipped cream; and lots of it! We buy her robin egg blue pans and devour her cookbooks. And when she is drug through the streets because she admits she has erred, we watch in disbelief as her kingdom crumbles to the ground.
With great passion, Paula Deen asks that he or she without sin should throw the first stone. This reminds me of another saying that goes something like this: Those who live in glass houses should never throw stones. How true this is! I admit that I, for one, need to be more tolerant, less critical, and more open-hearted. I assure you, my friends, that I have slipped a time or two and that halo atop my head has lost some of its shine, now sits at a crooked angle, and is more than a little scuffed up. With age, comes wisdom, and I have learned the hard way to keep my own countless imperfections in mind before I pass judgment.
There is a price to pay for fame and fortune. I wonder what it is like to live every day under a microscope; your every word analyzed, published, mimicked, and criticized. To some degree or another, we are all Paula Deens. Everyone jumps on our wagons when the wheels are strong and the path is straight, but we must hold on to our hats when the road gets rocky and the wagon wobbles, for we may find ourselves suddenly alone on the ride.
There is power in forgiveness. I watch Paula Deen ask us for reprieve, and I believe in her sincerity. I see her courage, her strength, her vulnerability and her fragility. If she has used racial slurs or spoken disrespectfully in regard to ethnicity, I believe she is truly filled with remorse. I know all too well the heartbreak of regret and the relief that comes with forgiveness. And of course, we must begin by forgiving ourselves.
Belinda Wilcox Ouellette lives in Connor TWP with her husband Dale and their Goldendoodle Barney. They are currently working on building a home in Caribou. You may contact Belinda online at: dbwouellette@maine.rr.com.
