The act of forgiveness can lift a huge burden. Not only in the person who is forgiven but also the one who forgives. 

Our ability to forgive comes from an understanding and acceptance of life, that people are not perfect and will say and do things , deliberately and unknowingly which needs correction. 

It comes from our honesty in our time of silence that we too are not perfect and must not take the high moral ground when someone else has erred.

It comes from a deep sense of security and compassion that releasing someone of their pain by forgiving them will not change the past for us but allows them a future with a lighter heart.

It comes from optimism that a bad past with someone need not blur a better future and genuine apologies deserve our highest understanding.

But why is it we find it easier to forgive than to ask forgiveness. It’s our ego that prevents us from apologising. We sometimes feel our image will be affected and we will look weaker. Sometimes it just feels awkward and we don’t know how to. 

It takes strength of character to be honest and seek reconciliation. It takes humility to plainly accept that we are not perfect. It takes conviction to move from the egoistic paradigm of who is right to what is right.

And true forgiveness is forgiving and forgetting. To forgive and then remind the person in future is not truly letting go.
And we must start with ourselves. We can live with several challenges but the burden of guilt can be unbearable. It’s only when we forgive ourselves and seek Grace for changing,do we discover the ability to show grace to others.

Forgiving someone doesn’t make us bigger and apologising doesn’t make us smaller. It just lightens the burden in two hearts and adds to the love and joy in the world.