Forgiving

Sometimes the first step to forgiveness is understanding the other person is a complete idiot. Individuals might forgive, companies don’t. To err is human, to forgive is against company policy. I forgive a lot, but I only trust once. If you break my trust, that’s it. Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast. The hard part of forgiveness is letting go of what’s bitter and move on. Rest in peace Aunty, the evil you’ve done in this world is too much.

Anger. Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. It only happens in the movies. Everyone makes mistakes. You’re living proof your parents made one. Anyways, if you can’t forgive others, don’t expect others to forgive you. Unless of course, you’re making them an offer they can’t refuse. Forgiving you means I no longer dwell on what a giant asshole you are. It doesn’t mean you’re no longer a giant asshole.

Smothered. Your parents won’t let you go out? I just want to let you know that it is easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission. Just say you’re going down the road and disappear for three weeks. By the time you get back, they’d be too overwhelmed from worrying about you to stay mad for long. I mean you’d get an arse-whopping still, but it’ll be with lots of love. People can be more forgiving than you can imagine. But you have to forgive yourself first.

Forgive and forget? I’m neither Jesus nor do I have Alzheimer’s.  The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. Even the great Achilles had a weakness. Forgive, yes. Forget, never. The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest, and the first to forget is the happiest. Sounds like a three-man job to me. Maybe four? The observer. What is forgiven is usually well remembered.

Prisoner. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. What if prison let prisoners take their own mugshots. Cellfies. To understand someone else as a human being, I think is as close to real forgiveness as one can get. The hardest prison to escape is in your mind. Except of course you’re in an actual prison and there’s no escaping. Now you’re on death row and the priest has come in to help you ask for forgiveness. What do you say? God forgives, I don’t.

Nonsense. Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.  You see, when I was little, I asked God for a bike. But I know God doesn’t work that way. So I stole a car and asked for forgiveness. Forgiveness does not change the past but it enlarges the future. As I drive this stolen car in the open road with the wind brushing against my face. I can’t help but think, it’s yet another lovely day above ground. The reality is people mess up, don’t let one mistake ruin a beautiful thing.

Forgive yourself. For bad decisions. For the times you waved at a stranger that wasn’t waving at you but someone else. For the choices that hurt yourself and others. Forgiving her one too many chances to break your heart.  Forgive yourself for being young and reckless. For leaving the gas burner on and blowing up the house. These experiences are vital lessons. And what matters most right now is your willingness to grow from them…

and stop being a gigantic pain in the arse

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