Forgiveness

Each time we truly forgive, a little more goodness comes into the world. Forgiveness takes courage, self-knowledge, self-love and serenityu. The ability to forgive is the attribute of the truly strong. It is easy to say that you are a forgiving person until you are faced with having to forgive a deep hurt or wound inflicted by another person. Life is an adventure in forgiveness.

Forgiveness is the healing of wounds, however they may be caused. It does not always lead to healed relationships, but it does lead to healed lives. When you choose to let go of a past wrong and of blame and hatred, you choose to invite love and peace into your life.

It really does not matter whether the person who hurt you deserves to be forgive. Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself because when you forgive, you release yourself from a burden of pain and bitterness. When you forgive, you heal your fear, from that comes serenity, and in that lives contentment. Contentment has no fear and is an expression of serenity that most people can sense and relate to. Contentment is mature happiness. It seeks nothing and cannot be reduced by circumstance.

If your life is affected by someone who refuses to forgive, or is not capable of forgiveness, wish them well and then let them go from your life, along with your anger.

~ The Tibetan Art of Serenity (pp. 65-6) by Christopher Hansard