The Greater of These

NBC Nightly News carried the story. The man had been in prison for thirty years. He had been convicted of rape of an eleven year old girl. Throughout those thirty years he always maintained that he had not committed the rape. Finally science and technology progressed, and out of an old blanket that had been kept in the evidence room, they were able to find some DNA of the man who committed the rape. It was not the DNA of the man who had been in prison for thirty years. The Nightly News story was about the man's release,declaration of innocence, and return to civilization.

While being interviewed all the man could do was talk about how grateful he was to be out; how excited he was to be home; what a delight to walk around and see all the things like cell phones, ipod, laptops, and ipads at the malls. He was planning on seeing a Cavalier basketball game in person as guest of the team.

It was not a long interview and it was only a few days after he had had the verdict set aside, released, and his record cleared when they talked with him. His reaction during the interview was all in the direction of joy, thanksgiving, release, and celebration.

The whole story caused me to wonder about our human responses to the things that happen to us. It would seem to me that there might be two major responses in him: great joy and thanksgiving for being released and great anger,resentment,sorrow and hostility towards the system that never believed him and took thirty years away from him. Thanksgiving is the dominant response now. Does the anger come later? Do they alternate in his days. Some days thinking how wonderful it is to be out finally. Some days tasting bitterness for all the years that were taken from him.

Is his thanksgiving and delight a personal response and others might be more consumed by bitterness? Is there a pattern that those who have been captured and imprisoned for a long time are so relieved and happy to be finally freed that the joy overwhelms the heart and thanksgiving is the dominant response? Will there come moments when he regrets being free and would like the security and routine of his former life?

The story is a source of lots of interesting questions about human emotions. Lots of people are in their own prisons and are offered freedom and pardon. Is thanksgiving and celebration the abiding dominant reaction to freedom?