From Forgiveness to Fulfillment

“Forgiveness” might not be your first reaction upon learning that someone has murdered your only son. But Azim Khamisa decided to forgive, through spreading a message of nonviolence, transformation and forgiveness to millions of school-age children. This book (the second in a trilogy) is a powerful source of love and hope for anyone dealing with grief, anger and revenge as a result of being a victim of violence. Khamisa is living proof that healing and a fulfilling life are possible for anyone, as a response to even the most horrifying tragedy imaginable. He sees the process of forgiveness in three stages: 1) Acknowledging you’ve been wronged, including time to grieve; 2) Letting go of resentment; 3) “Reaching out” to transform the negative energy into something positive, leaving you to not only able to survive, but thrive. His first book, From Murder to Forgiveness, includes a chapter on “restorative justice,” which was the subject of Khamisa’s talk Oct. 20 at Chico State. The final book of the trilogy, set for a 2009, will be titled From Fulfillment to Peace.