Through childhood Demetrius Ferguson was taught the importance of forgiveness and letting go of the past. After his death on Monday, his mother decided to live out these important teachings. When Phyllis Ferguson was asked what she would say to the shooter who killed her son she replied, "I would tell him I forgive him because, a lot of times, they don't know what they're doing. That's all I'd say." She also talked about forgiveness and God's grace. All this just days after the Ohio shooting. The shooter T.J Lane was a 17 year old student that choose his victims at random. Why he did it is still unknown. Three students were killed in the shooting and two injured. Phyllis Ferguson says she never thought she would bury her child and she still expects to hear him walking around the house. "God knew what he was doing. It's not for my understanding, but mine to accept and remember him as he was," Ferguson said.
It's strange that I seem more mad reading this article than the mother of the victim ever was. I honestly don't think I could do it. Okay, forgive someone for lying to you, talking behind your back, or even stealing from you, but killing your only child? I'm not so sure. That's what makes this article so powerful. It's easy to forgive someone when it there actions had no lasting effect or when they beg for forgiveness, but neither was the case. Phyllis Ferguson's life was changed forever and she forgives him as if it were easy. Of course it wasn't easy, it was a conscious choice to let her anger go and could only be done with the help of God. This made me realize I never have an excuse to hold a grudge. Forgiveness is more powerful than hate and if this mom can forgive her son's killer I know I can forgive anyone for their much smaller crimes against me.
"Ohio School Shooting: Parents of Slain Student Forgive Suspected Shooter TJ Lane." Yahoo! Web. 01 Mar. 2012. <http://gma.yahoo.com/ohio-school-shooting-victims-parents-forgive-suspected-shooter-161435847--abc-news.html>.
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