Revenge, payback, retribution, retaliation, vengeance….Revenge is a new TV show starting Wednesday night. Chris and I plan to watch. The show looks pretty interesting, though my believe system doesn’t include Revenge as an option.
Revenge is hurtful. It’s not an act that heals a past event, an injustice, an injury someone has inflicted upon us. Although many look at it just that way. It’s easy to think of Revenge as a justifiable way to end a conflict, to right a wrong.
Revenge is, in many ways, like a figure 8. Just because we may succeed in paying back the person for how they have hurt us, the situation is not over. Because through Revenge you have actually hurt someone too, someone other than the person you intend. Someone who may love your enemy or be linked to them in some profound way. Should Revenge be a legitimate way to end a conflict the figure 8 would continue. For the people linked to the person you got even with, whom wronged you, thus has a reason to exert their revenge up on you…..on so on and so on and so on…..
Thoughts of revenge can also lead us into living in bitterness. Some may feel just thinking of revenge is their revenge. It’s winning in its on way. However, plotting revenge whether it is carried out or not consumes lives. One may take years planning what they would do if they had the nerve to or not to carry out their ideas. Years which could be lived in a choice of happiness instead of one of bitterness. Once bitterness has a foothold in someone’s life it’s an emotion that is hard to expel.
“Revenge is a dish best served cold”. I think everyone has heard this quote at least one point in their lives. But when confronted with that option and “I’m gonna get you sucka” it’s often a hard fork in the road to choose…..But I think “turning the other cheek” is the choice. At least for me…….
