Forgiveness Program at the Manchester District Library

On December 10th at 6:30 pm Manchester’s own Lorri Coburn will be presenting a program called Flight, Fight or Forgiveness: How to Choose Forgiveness for Mental and Physical Health at the Manchester District Library. It will run an hour to an hour and a half and will be informal and somewhat shaped by the needs of the participants. Participants will leave with multiple techniques that they can use to try to help them forgive.

Coburn wants everyone who attends to come out with a better understanding of what forgiveness is, that forgiveness is for ourselves, not the other person. She states “We get sick, mentally and physically, when we harbor anger and resentment. Until we forgive, that negative energy is stuck within us and keeps us sick.”

A practicing psychotherapist of 25 years with a masters degree in social work from U of M, Coburn specializes in counseling for anxiety and depression, relationships and spirituality. She is also the author of Breaking Free: How Forgiveness and A Course in Miracles Can Set You Free.

The program at the library won’t be based in any specific religion, so no one should be wary of attending, explained Coburn who is an interfaith minister. “Every major religion says forgiveness is necessary for peace of mind,” she said. “Forgiveness is necessary for everyone.”

The program came about through Coburn’s involvement in the library. She is very active in the Friends of the Library, a group which runs the on-going book sale on the second floor of the library and funds library programs like the Summer Reading Program. She has also been an active member in the Library’s book group for 12 years.

Librarian Anne Buckalew was responsible for setting up the program. “After finding out about her book, I approached Lorri and asked if she would be interested in presenting a program. The topic of forgiveness appealed to me but I wanted Lorri to ultimately decide what the presentation should include.”

This is just one of many programs the library has hosted this year. Last week they held an identify theft protection presentation. Buckalew explains it this way, “Libraries are known as a repository of information. Current technology has us moving further away from the exclusive need for physical storage, but libraries still function as a source for knowledge.” She goes on to state that “With respect to our budget and needs and interests of the community, our goal is to provide as much as we can which will benefit community members.”

Fight, Flight or Forgiveness is free and like all library programs, anyone can attend regardless of residency or library membership. A copy of Coburn’s book is on order at the library and will be available for checking out soon.

When asked what else we should know about forgiveness, Coburn stated that it is just as important to know what forgiveness is not. “Forgiveness is not about condoning a person’s negative behavior; it’s about letting go of the hold it has on us.”

If you have any questions about the program contact the library at 734-428-8045. You can visit their website at http://www.manchesterlibrary.info and they are on Facebook. To learn more about Coburn, visit her website at www.lorricoburn.com

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.