Forgiveness

Aesop101

Woke up this morning thinking about things from my past. About people who had done me wrong. Been praying upon it as well. Then out of seemingly no where I named each individual and told them I forgive you. It was out loud and to an empty house. Fortunately it wasn't a long list.

Now that may sound a bit superior but it's not intended to be. It's more of a healing process. Further I believe forgiveness is not really about the individual you forgive; it's about you. Never occurred to me before. It's about you because it allows you to move on and to focus upon the immediate needs of your life.

Unfortunately I believe forgiveness is a process and not just one where you can flip a switch. I suppose the turning point is when you realize the damage being done is to yourself. Hence the healing affects.

Then, of course, Forgiveness is often accompanied with forget or forgive and forget. I think about the nature of the human mind when it comes to forget. Does forget really mean erasing entirely from your mind the events that have taken place?! I don't think so. We naturally retain, as a defense, anything that has caused us pain in the past. Say like a burnt hand from a hot stove. So just like that burnt hand we don't dwell on the stove for years but instead just remember not to put our hand on a hot stove.

Wish I knew how to speed the process up but I don't. My guess it's different with every individual and how deep the scars run.

AwesomelyAmber

If there was anything (non weight related) that I needed to read this morning this is it. Thank you. :flowerforyou:

La_Amazona

Good stuff!!! :flowerforyou:

Forgiveness and trust came hand in hand with me a while back. Obviously whoever offended me, broke my trust, so in my head it made it impossible to forgive. In order for me to do so, I'd have to trust them again... which with me, once you break it, it's a done deal.
Someone told me that I could choose to forgive and not trust. Forgiveness was for MY benefit. In my case, the person I needed to forgive wasn't asking for it. They went on about their business while I was crumbling. I guess I was waiting on them to come ask for it but it never did happen. Finally I realized if I was going to move forward and let it go, I had to forgive for ME. I did. It was freeing. It liberated. And I didn't have to trust them again. I don't even have to see them again if I choose. I still remember. But forgiveness is when I no longer hold them captive in MY mind.