Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

How Forgiveness Promotes Hope Geoff W. Sutton             Weddings, birthdays, reunions and summer holidays bring families together. Visions of BBQs, swimming, and fireworks dance in the heads of children. Not all fireworks decorate the sky. Some explode.  Amidst the laughter and joy, some fume about slights and barely veiled insults. Others recall serious hurts and pain. “It’s best to avoid the stress,” some say, as they vote with their feet and find comfort elsewhere. Reviewing past hurts keeps our energy and focus in the past. The past saps our ability to enjoy the present or make plans for the future. The pain of the past is like a storm cloud in front of the sunshine of hope.             Forgiveness is a way of letting go of the past and promoting hope. I and my colleagues like Ev Worthington have conducted research with hundreds of people. When we measure...