Forgiveness

We live in a world of hatred and apathy, it is—sometimes—simply very hard to mend things in a way painless. People sin and people make mistakes—often. The only people I know who do not have a care in this world anymore are the ones who lie a few feet under. It is comforting for my sake therefore to say that my father now has no more cares in the world, simply because he has transcended into another realm—with his creator.

Now we are left to live the rest of our lives with these troubles, which, more often than not is a perpetual challenge. We merely have to live with these things, and try not to dwell in the past. Someone once said that past is prologue; just a point where we start from. And the idea here is that we cannot empty our sorrows without reaching to a point when we just have to let go of it and move on to life’s progression.

It is, however, not wrong to look back, but look ahead. We can let go, but we have to accept. We should forgive those who have caused us troubles in the past, and forget about it—and never, ever, look back in anger. And, we should forgive ourselves, too.

Here are a few quotes about forgiveness I compiled (in the past) which has been a reminder to me. It has been such a great help.

I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one. ~Henry Ward Beecher

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. ~Mahatma Gandhi

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. ~Lewis B. Smedes

He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass. ~George Herbert

Without forgiveness life is governed by... an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation. ~Roberto Assagioli

Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it forgoes revenge, and dares forgive an injury. ~E.H. Chapin

Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much. ~Oscar Wilde