Our church has a book on a table near the front door, and people are invited to write down their joys and concerns. The minister reads from the book during the service and we light a candle.
Today someone wrote that they wanted to light a candle for Avi Schaefer, killed by a drunk driver this Friday, and for Marika Baltscheffsky, who is in critical condition in the hospital. They also wanted to light a candle for the driver, ‘because Avi wouldn’t want us to hate anyone’.
Kmareka.com 
As some of my readers know, my mother was hit by a car driven by a 17 year old in 1993 and killed instantly. One of the emotions I have never felt is anger towards the 17 year old driver. Not to say that I’ve never gotten angry before or since that moment, quite the contrary…but being 15 at the time I could relate to the feeling of utter helplessness, shock, devastation, and demoralization I imagine he felt when he recognized that his actions had taken the life of a mother, wife, and friend.
Further, my own grief consumed much more of my thoughts than anger. I think forgiveness is one of the most powerful weapons we humans have in our arsenal. Much more powerful than a gun or bomb.
Those take lives but unforgiveness can destroy your soul.
Thank you Don. Powerful testimony. I’m so sorry that happened to your mother, and sorry for the loss to your family.
I was very touched when the minister read those words in church. It must have come from a friend of Avi. What a loss to us all, both your mother and Avi Schaefer. I hope that Marika Baltscheffsky will recover. So much grief comes from drunk driving.
I drive all day, and am trying to be more considerate and mindful, because distracted driving is bad too.