Forgiveness
Is It For Us Or Others?
Written by Randi Fine, Narcissistic Abuse Expert
Narcissistic Abuse Awareness and Guidance with Randi Fine
"To err is human, to forgive divine." ~ Alexander Pope
Living in an imperfect world we are all, at some point in our lives, faced with the dilemma of forgiveness.
When someone who matters to us is hurtful, painful emotions such as anger and sadness are roused in us. In the aftermath we may find ourselves dwelling on the injustice of the situation. By clinging to the pain of the past, allowing the wrongdoing to define us, the resulting bitterness may taint all future experiences and relationships.
Forgiveness is a hard concept for many to grasp. It may seem as if by forgiving someone we are handing the person a "Get Out of Jail Free Card"; giving him or her permission to have crossed the line with us. But that is not so.
The act of forgiveness does not justify a wrongdoing. It releases us from the grip that hinders our well-being. It gives us back our personal power, the power we have freely given the person who hurt us. In forgiving we commit to healing our wounds, letting the past go, and allowing positive changes to occur in our lives.