As I flipped through channels on a Thanksgiving weekend, I saw Oprah reunited with her long lost half-sister, Patricia Lee. They spent their entire #Thanksgiving lunch with their mother. Oprah said it was a ‘Beloved Moment’. I thought how courageous it was for both Oprah and Patricia to forgive their mother for hiding her secret for so long. I also believe it was probably cathartic for their mom as well.
The word “Thanksgiving” is a time of #gratitude. It is formed by ‘Thanks’ and ‘giving’, but the virtue of forgiveness is often overlooked. Forgiveness is part and parcel of ‘Thanksgiving’. We cannot be truly grateful unless we have forgiveness in our hearts. Thanksgiving is that perfect opportunity for us to break bread as family with relatives and beloved friends. It is truly a time to let go of past hurts and celebrate our love for one another.
My screenwriting teacher, Peter Russell, encouraged me to dive deeper into this family theme in my story. I discovered that forgiveness is the cornerstone when writing this movie. The Korean son, Kim, must forgive himself and take responsibility for having gone to prison due to drugs. His parents, Jung and Me Young, must find a way to forgive him.
The protagonist, Marcus, watching Oprah’s reunion began one of my earlier drafts of this story. That same episode I watched was what lit the fuse for Marcus to seek his long lost mother. That’s why there’s a mention of Oprah in our movie for her reunion was truly inspiring.
In my own situation, I was able to find forgiveness through Christ. ‘With God, all things are possible.” If you’re also in need of further assistance, I recommend professional help such as Brenda Adelman. She helped me understand my suffering has meaning. Its meaning is love. My loving wife, Holly Soriano, also helped with her bountiful heart of love.