Forgiveness

From Columbia St. Mary's Moment for Meditation line:

The other day I heard someone say, "Forgiveness means letting go of any hope of changing the past." That statement made me think about what forgiveness means to me and how important it is in my daily life. I wonder how often I hold grudges or keep reliving past events thinking that somehow those past events will change and I will finally be able to make peace with them and stop letting them run my life.

Letting go of the idea that I can change the past is freeing. Letting go of the idea that anything in the past will change goes a long way in helping me look forward. The past can't change, but I certainly can change the way that I look at it and think about it. I can learn from it and go on, wiser, stronger, a better person inside and out. 

Forgive yourself. Forgive what others have done to you in the past.


Forgiveness means letting go of any hope of changing the past.
Forgiveness means letting go of any hope of changing anyone else.
Forgiveness means letting go of any strain to change myself.
Because forgiveness is a choice to love without condition.
Forgiveness is not dependent on whether you choose to change or I choose to change.
Forgiveness is just choosing to love when hatred and pain have been given to you.
Forgiveness is choosing not to continue the cycle of hatred and pain by creating more of it.
Forgiveness means intentionally choosing freedom.
Forgiveness is intentionally choosing to love.
And Love Liberates.