I was listening to NPR on the way home from work yesterday when their segment “This I Believe” came on.

This is a segment where famous and not so famous people write essays about things they believe in. NPR picks one from time to time and has the writer read it on the air. Many times, it not most, the essay is just the usual clap trap of liberal dogma.

Yesterday the lead in was about the girl in the picture. The picture in question is one of the more iconic pictures of the Vietnam War. It’s of children fleeing their village which had just been napalmed. The little girl in the middle of the frame has had her clothes burned off and is terrified. You can see the picture here.

It turns out that little girl survived the war and now lives in Canada. Her essay for “This I Believe” was chosen to be read yesterday. I had to listen. Being the pessimist, I was sure the essay would veer off into the usual stuff like Bush is evil, the U.S. is evil, napalm is evil.

As she started to read her essay in her broken English, I could tell this essay was going to go in a different direction.

You must go read/listen to it here. It is transcribed for you, but they also have the audio. I encourage you to listen to the audio.

Her last 3 paragraphs are powerful and we should all take it to heart.

Forgiveness made me free from hatred. I still have many scars on my body and severe pain most days but my heart is cleansed.