Oprah Winfrey once stated, “Forgiveness is giving up the hope that things

 could have been different …then moving on.”

Forgiveness can be

• offered in person
• in the form of a written letter
• said in your mind with a positive intent
• difficult to do
• healing
• a burden released
• good for your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health

Forgiveness is NOT for the benefit of someone else.

              Forgiveness is given to benefit YOU.

Forgiveness is NOT forgetting what happened.

            Forgiveness is letting go of the anger, regret or what weighs heavy on your heart.

Forgiveness is given without the expectation of getting an apology or a response.

Sometimes;

      the individual you want to forgive does not know they have caused the pain you are experiencing.

       the individual you want to forgive is no longer able to hear or receive your forgiveness.

      forgiveness may seem unthinkable

When I say forgiveness is for you, I also acknowledge the fact that in many cases we and I mean “WE” need to forgive ourselves for all the things we wish we could have done differently.  We cannot change what has been done but we can choose to be different as we move forward in life.

I found an article on the internet that provides more information on forgiveness research that might be of interest to some readers.

“The weak can never forgive.  Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.”

(Mahatma Gandhi)

Being aware of what we are grateful for in life is a way of changing unforgiveness.