The 90's for me rhymed with the great influence of a singing bird: Without you, Fantasy and Always be my baby are only a few to describe this excellent ERA. But the heartfelt admiration for this woman, none other than Mariah Carey, drastically changed when she divorced from former manager Tommy Mottola and also... divorced from her clothes. It wasn't attractive... it wasn't even sexy. Classy would have done it... but vulgar couldn't pass me by. One could actually see the reflection of deceit and disgust in my eyes. Next thing I knew is that EVERYTHING that I appreciated in this artist and in her music was buried and forgotten. The more she exaggerated, the lesser I saw the talent. Parading herself like that: change or evolution? Or what she likes to call "finally being herself"? Either way, I couldn't stand her. Adored and hated. Total contrast.
Then in year 2005, someone gave me Mariah Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi. I thought to myself: "You must be kidding me?" It was a gift so the least I could do was listen to it, at least once. And to my surprise, something changed in my point of view. I realized and actually admitted that it was a really great album: real...witty...alive...new... and I felt it again, after nine years. She is still way-too-much of a boobie, still the overreacting diva, still THOSE videos... But she proved to be quite the singer once again. Talent: bare-naked. And I shall not forget that. She'll never be "that singing fool on a seesaw" again but that incident taught me that giving her another shot was not too late. And it never is. Making peace with her was definitely a step forward.
This subject got me wondering about forgiveness. Deep and uncensored. We are confronted to different challenges every single day. The best situation can drift to insanity in a second, because of mistakes done or said. God gave men the ability to forgive, to ask forgiveness and move forward with each other's faults, as He forgives us men for all our sins. Small and deadly. Yet reality shows that we may have the ball on our side, but do we all have the gift to forgive?! Questions such as making peace with cheaters, racists, rapists, murderers, dictators, pedophiles, wife-beaters … or simply forgiving those who wronged us...even forgiving ourselves, us sinners, pop out. Many actions seem irreversible and can destroy more than one life. Betrayals have lead to lifetime anger and silence. There are no rules to how and when to forgive. Even justice doesn't define how you deal with it, nor is it said that you may one day have the power to do so. The only certain thing is that none should be surprised that forgiveness can happen, and does succeed. What we call making this world a better place.
Forgiveness is not a miracle. Forgiveness is a choice. A GIFT to use, given to each of us.
To overcome resentment and forgive. To not seek revenge and forgive. To not wish karma and forgive. Truth is: you cannot read forgiveness, you can only write it.
