Forgiveness

Forgiveness. It is not a concept. It is a fact. Forgiveness is always a win-win solution. It does not matter what the reason was. Far too often you hear people say well that's unforgivable. Literally speaking, there is no such thing. Humans are conditional beings. We forgive, but we do not forget. This is also on purpose; by design. If you forget, you do not learn from the mistakes and remember to avoid them in the future. I have been known to say forgiveness is not for them - it's for you! I say this because of the incredible relief it brings to the heart and mind to finally "let it go" and of course, it lets the other person know that you are no longer holding that negativity over them.

Here is a little exercise in forgiving deeply. If you have a picture or are in the presence of the person you wish to forgive, say this aloud to them with sincerity. If it is yourself you need to forgive, say this aloud and put your name first. (Example: mom, dad, son, daughter, their name or your name here and keep going....) If the other person is not ready to listen, write them a letter or leave a message. Either way, the healing begins now. If the other person needs to say these same words to you-be prepared to listen and be forgiven!

"( insert name here ), today - I forgive you. 100 times for a 1000 things, I forgive you.  It was not your fault that (state issue(s) here) happened.  Even if it was, I still forgive you. To wish (__) was never born is to wish (__) was never loved and that is not truly how I feel.  I may have let outside influences determine what I think about (__). I can see the lies from the truth. I am ready to accept the truth. It is time for me to enjoy my life completely without the stress of being angry. So today (___), I forgive you. I forgive you for (list all the things you can think of here). I have to start taking better care of me. I will no longer bring these things up as a way to hurt you or to get back at you. In return, I ask that you forgive me for anything I may have done along the way and know that I will do all I can to learn and grow from this."

To be most effective, choose a quiet setting where all parties can listen and speak without interruption. It is crucial that the listener holds their response until the end. Do this and you will be fulfilled. To forgive is to love and to love is Divine.

-DeMaster A. Thomas

These Three Words