Forgive and Go Forward

“It is not “forgive and forget” as if nothing wrong had ever happened, but “forgive and go forward,” building on the mistakes of the past and the energy generated by reconciliation to create a new future.” -Alan Paton

Over the past month here in Northern Ireland I have learned so much about the people and the culture here. As a social worker I am always interested in learning more about how a person’s environment impacts who they are. The people of Northern Ireland have shown me how resilient they are even after going through so many traumatic experiences. I have learned how important dialogue is in the healing and restoration process, which I hope to use more of in my work with youth at my internship with Communities in Schools. The people here have taught me a lot about forgiveness as well. In one of our sessions Richard Moore said “I am a victim of the Northern Ireland conflict, but I refuse to be a victim of anger.” This quote really stuck with me because I think this may be the key to peace building in Northern Ireland. I think this mindset is needed to encourage the healing process for all and move past the trauma of the past. 

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In addition to learning a ton about Northern Ireland, I have learned a lot about myself along the way as well. This experience has taught me about how much I take for granted my life in Washington. We are so lucky to live in a place with relatively low conflict compared to what the people here have had to go through. This experience has made me want to explore more career paths that involve peace and reconciliation within communities. Lastly, this trip has allowed me to build friendships with some of the most intelligent, kind, and positive people. Every person in this group has taught me something different and I am so grateful to have gotten to learn from, and along with, this group of incredible students and professors. I have had the best time ever and I cannot wait to come back to visit one day!

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