About forgiveness

I don't know about you, but this is a real toughy for me! It's not that I'm unforgiving, but it's that I remember. I think this is the case for a lot of people, and it's not just about friends or family. Some of us, myself included, are particularly hard on themselves. This happens for various reasons, but the end result is often the same: lack of understanding and accepting that you're doing the best you can at that time, under those circumstances. I've been thinking about forgiveness a lot lately. There are always those "reminders" in the form of social media memes, and a lot has happened to me this year, both with friends and family. For me, the line has always been clear: if the person does not recognize they have wronged you, and keeps doing that bad thing again and again, I just don't go there. They clearly can't see or help themselves, and I just let them go. But sometimes it's not that simple, and that's what I'm aced with now. I have two people in my life who have really gone too far, each for different reasons. Every single day I debate in my head if I should let it go, reminding myself that life is short, and I'm only losing out on having a relationship with them... until I go back the other way and I remember how hurt and angry I am, and how tired I am of always feeling like the one who has to let it go and accept people for who they are (can you hear the resentment in that sentence?). But it doesn't end there! I'm also struggling to forgive myself for not achieving what I thought I should have by this age. Some of that has nothing to do with me, and some does. Anyway, all of this is just part of being a human being. Emotions are complicated, and so are people and our relationships with them. Just wanted to put this out there for anyone else who's struggling with forgiveness. Happy Sunday!

Warmly,
Susan