I have been thinking a lot about forgiveness lately.
Not that I have a major problem in this area--LOL!--but, I definitely have a lot to learn.
You see, I realized this summer that I hold a lot of crankiness toward Jr. and LuLu's bio mom.
I know, this reveals probably more than I should about my own heart, but it's the truth. And I hope you'll see past my weaknesses and focus on the good parts of me. I'm trying to be a better version of myself everyday. I really am.
Anyhow, I think this summer I've seen how negative "resentment" or "lack of forgiveness" can be--for me, for those around me . . . for the universe.
So, because I don't really know how to just weed this thorn from my side--with simple "willpower"--I'm trying to study and pray as much as I can about forgiveness.
Here's what I'm reading now, and I thought I would share it on the blog today:
Why We Forgive
by Wayne Dyer
I was having dinner with my friend Ram Dass not long ago and talking about forgiveness, a subject I’m studying for my new book. He leaned over and said to me, “Wayne, I’ve never believed that it’s up to us to forgive anyone. That is not our role.” Let this profound statement sink in and think about how it might apply to your own experience. First, we have to face the notion that in order to consider forgiving someone we must have been blaming them for something. We must have anger, resentment, blame, even hatred going on in order to feel the need to forgive. Forgiveness is really an act of letting go, releasing the anger, the hatred, the bitterness, the thoughts of revenge that we have been carrying around. We can do this letting go without even encountering the person we want to forgive. It was one act of profound forgiveness toward my own father, whom I never saw or talked to, that turned my life around from one of ordinary awareness to one of higher consciousness, achievement, and success beyond anything I had ever dared to imagine.
We forgive by releasing all resentment, anger, and bitterness and thus set ourselves free from the negative feelings that weaken us. First we have to get past blame. Then we have to learn to send love to all. One of the great lessons of forgiveness is the report of Jesus’s words on the cross: “Forgive them for they know not what they do.” They really did not know the harm they were doing to themselves and to all of us. Meet hatred with love.
Taking all the anger and hatred that is standing in your way and replacing it with love is the most healing thing you can do. Fill your soul with love, rather than anger and so many things will change in your life. None of us needs revenge, but we all need love. It is all we really have to give away. [You] have the power to heal . . . .
Happy Friday everyone! Let the healing BEGIN. (Movie reference, sorry, I couldn't resist. Sometimes I use humor to balance my drama.)
