Imagine a world filled with individuals willing both to apologise and to accept an apology.
Most spiritual traditions emphasise the importance of forgiveness as an ideal to strive for. We can mentally make the decision to honour this and say almost by rote – I forgive …… but forgiveness is a process that can prove to be our greatest test.
Forgiveness is not about words or accepting an apology, although this is a good starting point. Forgiveness is not even about the ‘other’;
• Forgiveness does not condone
• Forgiveness does not dismiss hurt
• Forgiveness does not deny the scars of wounds.
• Forgiveness opens the heart, in readiness to let go
• Forgiveness is the releasing of a heavy burden
• Forgiveness is the hope that we can learn from even the most painful of experiences
• Forgiveness begins to see the suffering as a gift that led us to the next level of our unfoldment
• Forgiveness is where we find the peace that has previously eluded us.