The Journey Of Forgiveness

Forgiveness serves as a healing force capable of disrupting patterns of resentment and aggression. It is rooted in love, which inherently calls for justice. As a divine gift, forgiveness liberates those who have been hurt, empowering them to pray for the redemption of offenders, ultimately reducing widespread hostility, aggression, and blasphemy.

Forgiveness involves seeking divine help to overcome cruelty and wishing for the redemption of those entangled in it. It earnestly prays for righteousness to convincingly and effectively guide offenders towards goodness, despite evident challenges, safeguarding the triumph over wickedness.

Hatred, in contrast, seeks the complete destruction of others. It possesses a detrimental ability to corrupt the spirits of both individuals, with or without faith, when they are victims of wrongdoing. Hatred tempts those who are looked down upon into becoming hateful themselves.

Forgiveness releases those wronged, freeing them from perpetuating the cycle of hostility they’ve suffered. The suffering caused by hurt doesn’t simply disappear; dismissing it disregards the very core of humanity and divinity. This pain, however, becomes a source of strength, nurturing compassion for a deeply wounded world and finding joy in every sign of healing.

Forgiveness and grace provide significant value to any society, far beyond what they are commonly acknowledged for. These qualities are rare nowadays, but when we’ve seen them, we realize they’re not signs of weakness. Instead, they represent the generous offerings of individuals who recognize that their intrinsic value remains intact and unthreatened.

Granting grace or extending forgiveness allows us to reject the erroneous belief that our worth is measured by our actions. However, we’re not referring to the type of grace or forgiveness that appeases. Our forgiveness isn’t driven by our own need for others; rather, it’s an instrument to encourage each other to rise to our best selves and honour our responsibilities. It acknowledges that harm has occurred and opens the door to renewed efforts.

Navigating the journey through forgiveness and grace is challenging, much like the common struggle we face due to frequent heartbreaks and betrayals. It is essential to pay attention to these lessons. While the ideal of forgiving universally, as taught by religions, seems overwhelming, perhaps we should start by forgiving those close to us—our families and communities—those we share our struggles with. Through gradually practicing kindness, forgiveness and grace may eventually surround us, becoming as indispensable as the air we breathe.

When we noticed the young man on crutches
with a shattered knee gazing up at the sun,
we wanted to offer him a comfortable chair
to soothe his injured body.

And when the homeless woman paused on the sidewalk
to hand an apple to a child,
we wanted to embrace all the ones
who showed us a pinch of kindness.

There is a smaller and smaller distance between our souls and the universe
at sunrise, we are convinced this is an inner grace.
By evening, it appears to be a burden.

Every now and then, our distress in being here
breaks free into a gentle awe
that nobody recognises.

We see more clearly now, and even better,
we are everything we see,
like one unexpectedly sees while gazing.

Watching the sunlight sketch your profile,
your head on my shoulder, while hummingbirds sing —
I could have passed away there on that chair,
but I choose to live.

Maybe — as air requires lungs to fulfill its purpose —
kindness requires us?