When Tommy lost his wife, he completely lost himself. He hit the road and went off-grid for seven years. When we experience that kind of profound grief, we all cope differently, but Tommy took it to the extreme. Eventually, he managed to find a new purpose, a career he loved, and a decent living.

Then, the worst happened. In 1982, he made the fatal choice to drink and drive. It cost the life of his passenger, Noelle, and sent him to jail.

Forty-four years later, he is still serving a life sentence of his own making. He simply cannot forgive himself.

It’s easy to judge from the outside. “He shouldn’t have done it.” Absolutely. A woman lost her life because of his decision. Nothing changes that.

But what happens to the person who caused it? Is there ever a point when someone is allowed to forgive themselves? Is there grace for the person who has to live with knowing they did something unforgivable?

I don’t know. Nothing like that has happened to me.

#drinkinganddriving#widower#lifelessons#forgive#virginiabeach