Forgiveness is NOT the F Word

Nobody is perfect. We are all human beings with varying capacities for many things. We all have gifts; we all have innate buried treasures that we have yet to discover. But what is this thing called, “forgiveness?” In a therapeutic environment, it is not unusual to spend days and weeks on this very topic without making mention of this word. Not a day goes by that we are all not dealing with pain. Pain of loss, death, divorce, feeling out of control, aging parents, sandwich generation challenges, not being accepted for who we are, family of origin pain, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, illness, fear, you name it, we all have to deal with it. Sometimes dealing with the choices other people make also causes us pain. You see, we are all intricately connected to each other. When I drop my pebble in the pond, it affects those around me. The good news is, if we leave ourselves open to the lesson, we all learn something through our adversities. For our own emotional wellbeing, forgiveness gets us to the other side. Forgiveness does NOT mean you have to return to a situation that no longer serves you. Forgiveness takes work and yes, sometimes the task includes letting go. Letting go of people, letting go of jobs, letting go of situations, letting go of pain; releasing, relaxing, forgiving, and letting go. That key that we all search for, that key that appears to be so elusive, so mystical is not really all that mystical. Forgiveness begins with you. Forgive yourself first. Tell yourself every day that you forgive you. That’s where the work begins – with you. Have a great day! Annette L Becklund www.AnnetteLBecklund.com