“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” ~Gandhi
There are two ways of viewing forgiveness, and it requires the utmost truthfulness and honesty within ourselves. For example, it is easier to forgive others for being wrong, than to forgive them for being right. Forgiveness is about the acceptance of conditions for what they are. It is the release of any attachments of the past or expectations of the future. As expectations are the beginning of all resentments. Forgiveness is not merely an act of words, of speaking ‘forgiveness’ but it’s an internal act of choosing to release others and yourself. Forgiveness is what ends the vicious cycle of karma. For as long as we fight or ignore ‘what is’ we’ll never learn to forgive and much less ever learn the true meaning of love. Forgiveness is what tells the infinite mind, also known as God, that you have learned your life’s lesson through your inner being, also known as your soul. Many times, our pride and self-deceit of the ego, and the self image of being a victim are what prevent many from forgiving or being forgiven. Unforgivingness is what creates indifference and separation, as forgiveness has nothing to do with dismissing another for his mistakes. It has everything to do with relieving oneself of the affliction of being a victim. If you cannot forgive, you are living in an illusion created by your mind, which is called the ‘past’ and no longer exists in this reality that we call ‘now.’ It only exists within your mind, while infecting your heart. So where is the enemy? Is it that person that failed you? Or an incident of the past? Or is your enemy simply an aspect of your own thinking? Without forgiveness we become prisoners of our own ideas.
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to realize that the prisoner was you.” ~Lewis B. Smedes
Many search the world for love, but if they have not learned to forgive they will never find love or peace within their hearts. We are human, and by human nature we make mistakes, we live in a universe that is perfectly imperfect. And we are merely a microcosmic replica of our perfectly imperfect universe. If everything were perfect, nothing would ever change. Mistakes are an essential ingredient to the learning process. They are for the purpose of our own growth and evolution. Forgiveness is essential to the recognition that we have learned. Forgiveness is how we speak without words with divinity or God.
“To err is human, to forgive, devine.” ~Alexander Pope
We are here incarnated to learn forgiveness, to be kind, and to be honest. We are here to find happiness, to do good, and to do the best we can. I ask you to look within yourself and forgive yourself of your own thinking so that we may forgive others. How can you ever love if you have not learned to forgive? As said by Mother Teresa:
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
“Judge nothing, you will be happy. Forgive everything you will be happier. Love everything, you will be happiest.” ~Sri Chinmoy