Claire Shipp
College Composition and Research
Narration Essay
October 3, 2017
College Composition and Research
Narration Essay
October 3, 2017
Set Free
While driving, a song came on my radio, “It can even set a prisoner free, there is no end to what its power can do. So let it go and be amazed by what you see through eyes of grace, the prisoner that it really frees is you” (West). These lyrics, sang by Christian artist Matthew West, embody the principles that are also present in the article “The Restoration of Faith” written by Amitava Kumar, an English professor at Vassar College (72-75). Kumar writes about the process of “restorative justice” as a display of healing and forgiveness for both victims and criminals, and she goes into detail about its effect on a family that lost its daughter to a murderer (72-75). In her essay, Kumar shows restorative justice can be beneficial to both victims and perpetrators; therefore, it is necessary for every person to practice forgiveness. Rough patches are inevitable in life, but every individual can choose to accept pain, forgive the unforgivable, and let go of his/her mistakes.
It is imperative to understand that forgiveness is a weapon against heartbreak, not a magic potion that shields the heart from tragedy. The family in “The Restoration of Faith” knew this well. Kumar writes, “They told the young man who had killed their daughter about the pain he had caused” (73). The man who killed his girlfriend did not only take her life; he took the lives of her family and friends. While the severity may not be equal to the loss this family went through, every person will experience intense heartbreak caused by forces out of his/her control; mine just happened to be a boy named Erek. Erek and I were like the best friends in movies.; I remember the days we spent eating buffalo chicken dip, watching Netflix rom-coms, and conversing about the meaning of life. Just as vividly, I remember the day my life changed. Without any warning, Erek became a stranger to me. He cut off all communication without any explanation. I avoided the part of my heart in which he had lived, and I refused to accept the pain he had caused me for three months. However, when school began the following fall, I was no longer able to avoid him. The first time I set eyes on him my heartbreak became real; he gazed through me like I was a ghost. In that exact moment, I no longer avoided the pain; I accepted it. While forgiving Erek did not heal my pain, it gave me the strength to continue without him. In the same manner, the mother and father in the article “The Restoration of Faith” were not healed by accepting the loss of their daughter, but acceptance gave them the strength to continue without her.
Just as moving past heartbreak is important, forgiving those who seem unforgivable is a vital skill. Kumar writes, “The Grosmaires said that they didn’t forgive Conor for his sake, but for their own”(72). This mother and father lost their daughter, and they still chose to forgive the man who created their heartbreak. Months ago I was unaware of the importance of forgiveness; instead, I was intently aware of the boy sitting in the chair next to me. I was mindful of each movement he made, despite the hundreds of people who filled the YCLS conference room around us. Looking back, Jacob and I were a perfect match; we were driven to achieve the incredible, being Missouri 4-H State Officers. With each joke, compliment, and conversation, Jacob made his home in my heart. I learned the lines on his hands, the form of his smile, and the sound of his voice. I was the luckiest girl in the world until State Congress; it was supposed to be our moment, being elected as state officers together -- it was anything but that. We were back in a conference room; however, this time I spent the entire week devastated, and Jacob spent it spreading rumors to conference delegates. I remember standing in a ballroom full of people as the announcer called, “The North West Regional Representatives are Jacob Hall, Meredith Oesch, Hannah Persell, and Kyle Hansen.” Jacob took my hand and led me outside. He sat there with me as I cried, knowing the truth; he had used me to get his state office. I was a step in his plan, nothing more. He confirmed my thoughts when he looked at me and said sympathetically, “I am sorry Claire. I needed this, and you were my biggest competition.” My mind went blank, and my body grew cold as the love in my heart morphed into an unrecognizable hate. He begged for my forgiveness after witnessing the result of his decision. Jacob had taken my dream from me, and he broke my heart. I was not able to forgive him until many months later. A boy named Connor took a daughter from a family that loved her unconditionally. His actions seemed unforgivable, but the family still choose to forgive him. In both situations, forgiveness was difficult, but it allowed healing.
After learning to deal with heartbreak and to forgive others, individuals must remember that forgiving oneself is also important. Kumar writes, “The young man appeared to be experiencing what Baliga called ‘participatory traumatic stress’ ” (qtd. In Kumar 74). Not appropriately forgiving one's mistakes can cause severe mental problems. I have experienced this in a way that I wish I had not. While sitting in the middle of a cornfield with a blur of red and blue lights swirling around me, I knew I had messed up. I let the pressure of my friends, my problems, and my life, push me into a world I did not belong in -- party culture. I acted in the way I mistakenly thought every other teenager did to drown his/her worries, and within thirty minutes cops were surrounding the field. After a long emotional phone call, my dad came to pick me up. The whole drive home I sat ashamed of myself. I spent weeks worrying obsessively over the mistake I had made, and I convinced myself it would be the end of my world; to my surprise, it was not. Time moved forward, and I was the same good kid my parents knew. Forgiving myself for making that decision allowed me to learn from my mistake rather than letting it destroy me. In the same manner, Connor must forgive himself for killing his girlfriend because if he can not he will succumb to severe mental and emotional problems.
As Matthew West says in his song, there is no end to the power of forgiveness; it can set prisoners free, but most importantly it can set victims free. Forgiveness has set me free by allowing me to move past Erek, forgive Jacob, and let go of my mistakes. Amitava Kumar writes in her essay, “The Restoration of Faith,” the same sentiment (72-75). Through her recount of a family’s journey to forgive a tremendous crime, true forgiveness can be seen (Kumar 72-75). Kumar’s essay combined with my life experiences has shown me that to live fully I must manage my heartbreak, forgive unconditionally, and live without regrets.
It is imperative to understand that forgiveness is a weapon against heartbreak, not a magic potion that shields the heart from tragedy. The family in “The Restoration of Faith” knew this well. Kumar writes, “They told the young man who had killed their daughter about the pain he had caused” (73). The man who killed his girlfriend did not only take her life; he took the lives of her family and friends. While the severity may not be equal to the loss this family went through, every person will experience intense heartbreak caused by forces out of his/her control; mine just happened to be a boy named Erek. Erek and I were like the best friends in movies.; I remember the days we spent eating buffalo chicken dip, watching Netflix rom-coms, and conversing about the meaning of life. Just as vividly, I remember the day my life changed. Without any warning, Erek became a stranger to me. He cut off all communication without any explanation. I avoided the part of my heart in which he had lived, and I refused to accept the pain he had caused me for three months. However, when school began the following fall, I was no longer able to avoid him. The first time I set eyes on him my heartbreak became real; he gazed through me like I was a ghost. In that exact moment, I no longer avoided the pain; I accepted it. While forgiving Erek did not heal my pain, it gave me the strength to continue without him. In the same manner, the mother and father in the article “The Restoration of Faith” were not healed by accepting the loss of their daughter, but acceptance gave them the strength to continue without her.
Just as moving past heartbreak is important, forgiving those who seem unforgivable is a vital skill. Kumar writes, “The Grosmaires said that they didn’t forgive Conor for his sake, but for their own”(72). This mother and father lost their daughter, and they still chose to forgive the man who created their heartbreak. Months ago I was unaware of the importance of forgiveness; instead, I was intently aware of the boy sitting in the chair next to me. I was mindful of each movement he made, despite the hundreds of people who filled the YCLS conference room around us. Looking back, Jacob and I were a perfect match; we were driven to achieve the incredible, being Missouri 4-H State Officers. With each joke, compliment, and conversation, Jacob made his home in my heart. I learned the lines on his hands, the form of his smile, and the sound of his voice. I was the luckiest girl in the world until State Congress; it was supposed to be our moment, being elected as state officers together -- it was anything but that. We were back in a conference room; however, this time I spent the entire week devastated, and Jacob spent it spreading rumors to conference delegates. I remember standing in a ballroom full of people as the announcer called, “The North West Regional Representatives are Jacob Hall, Meredith Oesch, Hannah Persell, and Kyle Hansen.” Jacob took my hand and led me outside. He sat there with me as I cried, knowing the truth; he had used me to get his state office. I was a step in his plan, nothing more. He confirmed my thoughts when he looked at me and said sympathetically, “I am sorry Claire. I needed this, and you were my biggest competition.” My mind went blank, and my body grew cold as the love in my heart morphed into an unrecognizable hate. He begged for my forgiveness after witnessing the result of his decision. Jacob had taken my dream from me, and he broke my heart. I was not able to forgive him until many months later. A boy named Connor took a daughter from a family that loved her unconditionally. His actions seemed unforgivable, but the family still choose to forgive him. In both situations, forgiveness was difficult, but it allowed healing.
After learning to deal with heartbreak and to forgive others, individuals must remember that forgiving oneself is also important. Kumar writes, “The young man appeared to be experiencing what Baliga called ‘participatory traumatic stress’ ” (qtd. In Kumar 74). Not appropriately forgiving one's mistakes can cause severe mental problems. I have experienced this in a way that I wish I had not. While sitting in the middle of a cornfield with a blur of red and blue lights swirling around me, I knew I had messed up. I let the pressure of my friends, my problems, and my life, push me into a world I did not belong in -- party culture. I acted in the way I mistakenly thought every other teenager did to drown his/her worries, and within thirty minutes cops were surrounding the field. After a long emotional phone call, my dad came to pick me up. The whole drive home I sat ashamed of myself. I spent weeks worrying obsessively over the mistake I had made, and I convinced myself it would be the end of my world; to my surprise, it was not. Time moved forward, and I was the same good kid my parents knew. Forgiving myself for making that decision allowed me to learn from my mistake rather than letting it destroy me. In the same manner, Connor must forgive himself for killing his girlfriend because if he can not he will succumb to severe mental and emotional problems.
As Matthew West says in his song, there is no end to the power of forgiveness; it can set prisoners free, but most importantly it can set victims free. Forgiveness has set me free by allowing me to move past Erek, forgive Jacob, and let go of my mistakes. Amitava Kumar writes in her essay, “The Restoration of Faith,” the same sentiment (72-75). Through her recount of a family’s journey to forgive a tremendous crime, true forgiveness can be seen (Kumar 72-75). Kumar’s essay combined with my life experiences has shown me that to live fully I must manage my heartbreak, forgive unconditionally, and live without regrets.
Works cited
Kumar, Amitava. “The Restoration of Faith.” Acting out Culture, 3rd ed., Bedford St. Martins, 2015, pp. 72–75.
West, Matthew. “‘Forgiveness.’” AZ Lyrics, AZLyrics.com, 2017,
West, Matthew. “‘Forgiveness.’” AZ Lyrics, AZLyrics.com, 2017,