Forgiveness

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.  Confucius

Just as we all need forgiveness and part of that forgiveness is to forgive ourselves we also too need to forgive those who have hurt us in order to move on in life.  The concept is not new, and has been around for many years, if we let what has been done to us eat us up on the inside our life never seems to move on, we tend to rehash the “what if’s” and never see the “what could be’s”.

The quote above is from the old chinese philosopher, has been restated many times over by others throughout the ages from Aristotle, to Jesus in many different ways but all with the same meaning;

“There are two primary senses for the word “forgive” generally used in this context: to excuse a fault or pardon (which means to release a person from punishment or penalty), and to renounce anger and resentment against a person. I suggest that the first sense is the technical or legal meaning while the second is the more personal one – and the meaning which tends to be most emphasized when we talk about forgiveness being a virtue.”  Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics 

“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”  from the Our Father.

The point “Life is too Short Let others and yourself off the hook”  accept the other persons (and your own) apology and move on with your life!