04 May 2005

Forgiveness

Ten years ago, I was a teaching assistant at journalism school.

The person I was a TA for was, um, challenging. She drove me crazy, especially at a time in my life when I was teaching, carrying a full load of my own journalism coursework, planning a wedding and trying to find a job.

There were times I was reduced to tears in someone else's office, venting and trying to figure out how to politically cope with someone who seemed to make it her life's purpose to be difficult.

A month ago, she popped back into my life.

She sent a query letter to me, in my current job as a magazine editor. The story had merit, but I'll be honest, I had a hard time thinking rationally about the whole idea at first.

I'm putting it in the "maybe" file though. The next two issues are planned, but maybe the one after.

I chatted with her, but didn't really get her wheels clicking on who I really was (I don't always use my full name--I got tired trying to explain why anyone would have three names to my daughter's friends).

Today, she figured it out.

And apologized. And thanked me for not holding her actions 10 years ago against her.

Even though it happened a decade ago, I suddenly feel a lot better.

Strange. Good, but strange.