Forgiveness is the act of releasing feelings of resentment, anger, or bitterness towards someone who has wronged you. It involves letting go of negative emotions and offering pardon or absolution to the person who caused harm. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting the offense or approving of the behavior, but rather choosing to move forward without holding onto grudges or seeking revenge. It can be a powerful way to heal and free oneself from emotional burdens, leading to inner peace and well-being for both the forgiver and the forgiven.
Achieving forgiveness is like a realization that requires processing negative feelings. When we hold onto resentment or fear towards someone or a situation, it becomes challenging to break free from those emotions until we confront and work through them. Children may find forgiveness difficult as it involves an intellectual process to truly let go of resentment or hurt. To forgive, we must acknowledge the pain, sadness, and anger, allowing ourselves to grieve and release those emotions. Feeling and expressing these emotions is essential for true forgiveness, even if it doesn't involve outward displays of emotion.
Processing resentments varies among individuals, with some being more resilient and others deeply affected by emotional injuries. People may react differently based on past experiences and their unique ways of coping. While we each have our own way of processing hurt and resentment, as human beings, we share common emotional experiences. Laughter, for example, is a universal response to finding something funny, just as feeling pain and hurt triggers emotions like fear, sadness, and anger. The healthy expression of pain involves allowing ourselves to feel it, whether through crying, talking, writing, or expressing ourselves in other ways. This process of acknowledging and releasing emotions is crucial for healing and ultimately reaching a place of forgiveness and inner peace.