On The Radio

Ken asked me this weekend if I want to renew the subscription to satellite radio in my car.  Without a moment's hesitation I said yes.

I first experienced satellite radio two years ago in a rented car.  What a great invention!  I couldn't get over the number of stations and the variety available.  My go-to favorite station for those few days was Acoustic Coffeehouse. 

So I was delighted to find that a three-month trial subscription for Sirius XM came with the Subaru we bought in 2012.  Coffeehouse music all the time was my plan.  Then Ken got hold of the menu of stations and plugged in the three available NPR stations for me, for which I still thank him.  Then I found Oprah Radio and MSNBC.  When it was time to pay for a year-long subscription I was hooked, so Ken "gave" me satellite radio for Christmas.  I foresee that becoming a tradition..

Sometimes I plan my time in the car around what I can listen to on the radio.

Today I was running errands, in and out of the car, listening to a variety of news shows and interviews.  I often change channels and follow three or four story lines at a time.

Sometimes something grabs my attention.  Today that happened with an Oprah interview where the topic of forgiveness came up, which is a familiar theme in her interviews if you listen often enough.  She shared a definition that catches my attention every time I hear it:

Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different.

Before, when I've heard Oprah say it, I thought about forgiveness in relation to forgiving other people.  I like the phrasing.  I like the positive implications of moving past what's over and done with.  The message is to let go of what might have been.

Today I remembered that I can forgive myself, too.