The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom Book Review

To have the ability to cease angry and resentful feelings towards an individual given their actions of offense or flaw is to forgive. As we understand Ruby’s lesson in the book, “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”, we learn forgiveness is an integral part of a successful and prosperous life. As I see it, Ruby's lesson has the greatest effect on readers, for the reason that a sizable percentage of individuals possess some form of resentment towards another. Due to many extenuating circumstances in my life, I found Ruby’s lesson the most decisive because it taught me that hatred is a curved blade, and the harm we bestow upon others damages us as well. I have chosen to begin a marathon-like journey of forgiveness after growing cognizant of the fact that refraining from showing forgiveness is like bearing an invisible cross from the lesson portrayed by Ruby. Forgiveness is an integral part of life, and without the ability to forgive you are unable to love. 

Seeing Eddie’s feelings towards his father following his forgiveness leads me to believe that it is necessary to show forgiveness to others. Ruby’s lesson was among the most important in the story, considering Eddie’s attitude subsequent to the time of his showing forgiveness toward his father. For example, Eddie felt a sense of relief after notifying his wife he and his father made things right. Another instance of forgiveness in the novel is when Tala granted Eddie the opportunity to earn forgiveness by washing her scars which he caused. Furthermore, the reader can infer the shadow that had dawned over Eddie following the war had dissipated, seeing that he was brought to his heaven with Marguerite immediately after cleansing Tala of her scars.  

The lesson to always grant forgiveness will impact my life greatly in the future because the ideology of forgiveness is applicable in life. Perhaps this lesson will not be utilized every day, yet it is a fundamental part of successful relationships. Hereafter, I yearn for everyone to grant forgiveness to me, as I would grant to them. Forgiveness is a universal teaching that I feel is pertinent to all actions. Moreover, I feel forgiveness is misused in most situations. Forgiveness is intended to be used in a sincere fashion and is not meant to be used as a self-motivator or a fabrication. For example, a person may show fictitious forgiveness to someone in order to feel a sense of reward and accomplishment for themselves. 

Sometimes, we must grant forgiveness to God as well. In scenarios where we lose a loved one, a pet, or a friend, we may question God’s love towards us and our families. Although it may seem as if God does not love us in our time of mourning, we are always loved, even if we do not forgive him. Granting forgiveness is a burdensome task due to all of the emotions being experienced, but regardless of the circumstances, we must always forgive. For example, I lost both of my grandfathers at a young age and did not understand why God would cause so much pain and despair within our family. Eventually, however, we all grew to overcome the hardship of dealing with a loss and grew to forgive God.

One reason I feel forgiveness should be granted immediately towards others is the fact that any day could be our last, and we would leave this world possessing the encumbrance of failing to forgive.

To represent this lesson, I chose to depict an image of beauty and pain in the form of a hand grasping a rose, bleeding. As told in class, retaining anger is like holding a rose with thorns in the way that you see it as beautiful, yet deep down it is hurting you.