Thursday, February 14, 2008

Forgiveness Revisited

With all the thoughts of love and loved ones filling the air, my mind turned to forgiveness again. So many people have been torn apart by inability to forgive and move forward.
It appears that forgiveness is like a fish bone. It sticks in the throat and chokes many who want to forgive but just can't mean the words. I used to thing that "I'm sorry" were the hardest words to say in the English language. I may be wrong. It seems to be "I forgive you" and mean it.
We don't forgive for the benefit of the one who has hurt us, we do it for ourselves. Anger, bitterness, resentment, vengefulness are all emotions that hurt the one playing host to them. They poisons our minds and hearts, making it impossible for us to truly enjoy life.
Rather than repeat myself, I will post two short articles I wrote on the subject a while back and a follow up written recently. If you do not have a problem with forgiveness, please feel free to skip the next three posts. ☺

10 comments:

Jim said...

Hello again Zareba, I just took some posts to read this week, I will return and comment next week, still on a limited time budget, lol.

I am glad to see the post on the passing of M. I want to read that especially, and hear your take on him, he is in my history too.

My best to you and yours Zareba, Love and Peace of the best kind always to you!

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

You are So right. To love, we must have forgiveness in our hearts. You see so clearly -- My blessings, or I should say...those passing through me.

rauf said...

It is very difficult Zareba. Its easy to say a few words. But difficult to earase hurt from our minds. It takes a while to fade.
Today people are getting smarter and smarter in a fast world. Your kind gesture your kind words fall on deaf ears. It takes an equally sensitive and thoughtful person to accept your graceful apology and forgiveness

Hope you are doing fine Zareba.

Margie said...

Forgiveness is the key!
Thanks, Z!

Margie

goatman said...

Seems the tendency is to find reasons to identify a slight or work out a negative aspect rather than seeking the forgiving positive. I don't know why this is but I am guilty as well as others. Here in the rut we seek a way out rather than avoiding the rut in the first place. Human nature?

Zareba said...

Thank you, Jim. I look forward to your comments.

May joy and harmony find you each day.

...Z

Zareba said...

Thank you Don. Since forgiveness plays such a big part in our happiness, I would have thought it would come more easily to humanity. It does not!

May the Creator bless you and your work. Your poetry brings insight to many.

...Z

Zareba said...

Yes, Rauf, it is difficult to say those words and mean them, but if we want to live a life that is at all enlightened, we must find a way.

It may take the hurt a while to fade, but if we continue to agrivate it, it will never heal. The only bandage is forgiveness.The hurt heals, a scar is formed, and we can go on with our lives with or without the other person in it.

I am doing pretty well, and emotionally I am elated! My sister, estranged for over 20 years, is back in my life for the past year and a half. This weekend she visited me in person for the first time in over 30 years. I know first hand about forgiveness and about self forgiveness. I forgave her long ago but she could not forgive herself.

Zareba said...

So true, Margie. I hope joy is finding you.

...Z

Zareba said...

Hi Goatman.

The anthem of humanity "It's not my fault". Forgiving or being forgiven does not fit with the anthem. A very sad situation. Perhaps if we can change the thinking of just one person they will "tell two firends, and the may tell two friends, and....