What is Forgiving?

What is Forgiving?

1. Forgiving is allowing another person to be human for faults, mistakes or misdeeds.
2. Forgiving is letting another know that there is no grudge, hard feelings or animosity for any wrongdoing.
3. Forgiving is leeting the other person know that you accept as genuine the remorse and sorrow for actions and words that hurt or disappointed you.
4. Forgiving is accepting the sincerity of penance, sorrow and regret expressed over a grievous perosnal offense, and making it sufficient to clear the air.
5. Forgiving is giving a sign that a person's explanation or acceptance of blame for a destructive, hurtful or painful act is fully accepted.
6. Forgiving is the highest form of human behaviour that be shown to another person. It is
the opening up of yourself to that person to be vulnerable to being hurt or offended in the future, yet setting aside this in order to reopen and heal the channels of communication.
7. Forgiving is the act of love between you and a person who has hurt you; the bandage that
holds the wound together long enough to heal.
8. Forgiving is the God-like gift of spiritually connecting with others, touching their hearts to calm the fear of rejection, quiet the sense of failure, and lighten the burden of guilt.
9. Forgiving is the act of letting go of temporary ill will, disappointment, or the disgust that arises from the break in your relationship.
10. Forgiving is an act of compassion, humanity, and gentleness by which you let another know that s/he is indeed a child of the universe upon whom a variety of graces and blessings have been showered upon and that current or past offenses need not be a barrier preventing goodness and worth to shine through.

Source: 'Handling Forgiving and Forgetting' by James J. Messina, PhD and Constance M.
Messina, PhD.

'Forgiveness needs to be accepted, as well as offered, before it is complete'- CS Lewis

'Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it'- Mark Twain.

on the same issue, a blast from the past : 5 stages of forgiveness.