[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.44,0:00:03.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ladies and gentlemen,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.48,0:00:05.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,please give a warm welcome\Nto our next speaker,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.86,0:00:07.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mrs. Ellen Rutledge.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.17,0:00:09.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.12,0:00:16.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My name is Ellen Rutledge.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.72,0:00:20.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm employed here at Ironwood State Prison
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.58,0:00:23.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as secretary to the Chief Deputy Warden,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.88,0:00:25.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mr. Neil McDowell.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.99,0:00:28.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like many of you,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.89,0:00:32.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I always thought\Nthat my family would be blessed
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.08,0:00:34.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a long and happy life together.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.69,0:00:39.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But God did not include that\Nin our life plan.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.01,0:00:46.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On the morning of October 22, 2008,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.80,0:00:49.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our lives were tragically changed forever.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.49,0:00:53.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At approximately 4:30 in the morning,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.26,0:00:57.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my only son, Michael,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.12,0:01:01.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stepped out of his house,\Npreparing to go to work.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.61,0:01:04.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As he was loading up his truck,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.00,0:01:09.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he was approached by two\Narmed robbers wearing ski masks.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.40,0:01:12.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He was brutally beaten.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.01,0:01:16.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He was fatally shot\Nin the head, execution-style,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.70,0:01:18.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while he was on his hands and knees.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.71,0:01:25.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The only physical thing\Nthat those robbers took
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.81,0:01:27.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was his wallet.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.94,0:01:30.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At the time of his murder,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.98,0:01:33.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Michael was 35 years old.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.78,0:01:36.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This picture was taken just a few months\Nbefore he was murdered.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.25,0:01:41.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He and his wife\Nhad been married for 13 years;
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.74,0:01:43.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they had two young children.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.12,0:01:47.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They owned their own home\Nin a nice neighborhood,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.11,0:01:52.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they were living what we all call\N"the American dream."
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.31,0:01:57.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When I was given the news\Nthat my son had been murdered,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.08,0:02:03.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thus began my long ride\Non an emotional rollercoaster.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.69,0:02:06.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My emotions ran from disbelief,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.32,0:02:09.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to bargaining with God,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.09,0:02:12.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and many nights of grief and despair.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.24,0:02:14.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You see, as a mother,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.85,0:02:17.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's my natural instinct
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.85,0:02:21.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to fix whatever problems\Nmy children might have.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.08,0:02:24.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I couldn't fix this.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.07,0:02:29.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To this day, I still have\Na hard time understanding
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.46,0:02:35.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how anything so unforgivable\Ncould happen to any family.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.20,0:02:37.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it does.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.83,0:02:40.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the most difficult things
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.97,0:02:44.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we as humans are ever called upon to do
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.86,0:02:47.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is to respond to evil with kindness,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.04,0:02:51.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and to forgive the unforgivable.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.85,0:02:56.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We love to read stories\Nand watch movies
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.04,0:02:59.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about people who respond\Nto hatred with love.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.36,0:03:03.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And yet when that very thing\Nis required of us,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.14,0:03:09.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our default seems to be one of anger,\Nbitterness, or vengeance.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.17,0:03:12.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you don't practice forgiveness,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.96,0:03:16.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you might be the one \Nwho pays the most dearly.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.47,0:03:20.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, the kindest thing\Nyou can do for yourself
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.70,0:03:23.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is to forgive the unforgivable.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.19,0:03:31.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Lewis B. Smedes, professor,\Nand author of many popular books
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.66,0:03:35.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,including "Forgive and Forget," is quoted:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.69,0:03:40.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"To forgive is to set a prisoner free
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.37,0:03:44.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,only to discover\Nthat the prisoner was you."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.99,0:03:50.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Since the murder of my son in 2008,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.84,0:03:54.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have journeyed down\Na thousand emotional roads,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.39,0:03:56.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,seeking the answers to:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.64,0:04:02.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can I, will I ever forgive\Nthose two young men
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.02,0:04:05.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who chose to kill my son,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.21,0:04:08.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,instead of just taking his wallet\Nand walking away?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.96,0:04:15.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No rational answer has ever given me\Nthe solace that I seek.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.47,0:04:18.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During the past five years,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.70,0:04:23.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have eased off\Nthe freeway of pure anguish,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.13,0:04:27.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I now travel\Non a frontage road of acceptance.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.92,0:04:32.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have searched my soul\Ntime and time again,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.25,0:04:34.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I have come to know
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.75,0:04:39.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I am no longer\Nidentified as a victim,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.13,0:04:44.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but rather, I am a strong,\Npositive, and resilient woman.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.72,0:04:49.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Be assured, we all have\Nthe ability to forgive.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.20,0:04:52.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it may not happen\Nin one fall swoop.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.36,0:04:56.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes it has to happen in layers.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.39,0:05:01.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes we have to forgive\Nsomeone many times
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.17,0:05:06.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before we can let go\Nof all the emotional residue of the past.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.74,0:05:12.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We can take inspiration \Nfrom the words of Nelson Mandela,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.43,0:05:17.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who was imprisoned for 27 years\Nby the South African government.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.45,0:05:23.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He says: "As I stepped out the door\Ntoward my freedom,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:23.51,0:05:24.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I knew
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.94,0:05:30.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that if I did not leave all the anger,\Nhatred, and resentment behind,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.81,0:05:32.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I would still be in prison."
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.69,0:05:36.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, how do we know\Nif we have achieved forgiveness?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.56,0:05:43.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you have taken the steps\Nto restore peace in your heart,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.30,0:05:46.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you will feel a shift.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.81,0:05:50.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You will no longer feel sorrow\Nover the circumstance.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.49,0:05:56.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You will no longer feel angry\Nwith that person.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.22,0:05:58.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You'll feel sorry for them, instead.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.58,0:06:04.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you will tend not to have anything\Nelse to say about the situation, at all.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.05,0:06:10.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You will feel lighter, \Nand you will know in your heart
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.54,0:06:14.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you have given\Nyourself the ultimate gift.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.03,0:06:17.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.07,0:06:20.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)