Karyn D. Kedar 
The Bridge to Forgiveness 
Stories and Prayers for Finding God and Restoring Wholeness

Acknowledgments xi
Like a Strand of Hair xiii

THE BRIDGE 1
The Stepping-Stones 3
It’s a Matter of Principle 6
My Rock 8

CHOOSING 9
An Invitation to an Awakening 11
Love and Fear 13
The Call 15

LOSS 17
Forgiveness Is Not an Emotion 19
Path in the Ice 21
The Ghost of Love 23
Moments Are Finite, Yet Forever 24
Diminished Light 26
The Darkness of the Soul 29

ANGER 31
Forgiveness and Evil: A Paradigm Shift 33
The Commandment to Act 35
Memory 36
The Paradox of Fire 37
Light and Warmth 41
The Case for Anger 42
Life Def ined 44
Searching for Focus 45
Amen: Saying ‘Yes’ 48
Whispers 50

ACCEPTANCE 53
Pragmatic Spiritual Peace 55
The Truth 56
The Moon 57
Tip Toward Compassion: Concede the Moral High Ground 59
Why Is Not the Question 62
Struggling with God 65
Moving On:The New Home 66
Dance Through the Pain 69
Tenderness 72
Tug-of-War 74

FORGIVENESS 77
Holding On, Letting Go 79
I Know Nothing 80
The Choice to Be Sustained 82
The Gates of Repentance 84
“Esa Enai—I Lift My Eyes” 86
Looking for Light in the Shadows: Rakefet 88
In the Shadow of Your Wings 91
The Cemetery 92
From a Mother to Her Girls 94
LEARNING 97
Letting Go 99
With All My Being 101
God, Divine Source of Love 104
Learning from It All 105
Ambiguity and Control 107
Where Is God? 109
Learning to Yield 111

RESTORATION 113
Redemption:The Day Lilies 115
Rebirth 118
Wonder 119
Protection 121
Energy 123
Forgiving God 125
Dancer 127
Beaver Creek 128
Zero Visibility 132
Fear and Hope 134
The Silence Behind the Quiet 135
Quiet My Soul, O Holy One 137

EPILOGUE 139
The Bridge 141
Perpetual Crossings 143
Suggestions for Further Reading 145