Forgiveness

Affirmation:  I freely forgive myself and others.
Recently, my book group read, The Girl in the Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold Catherine Taylor.  It's the fictional story of the wife of Charles Dickens.  It created a great deal of conversation, which is one reason I am part of a book group.  In the story this woman went about healing herself of every shred of animosity she had with regard to those who had mistreated her in her life.  And, she was very poorly treated, even, some would say, abused.  Her husband disowned her, made her leave her home and 6 of her 8 living children.  Her sister took over the household and kept the family from contacting her.  Her husband had what everyone thought was a mistress.  Even after her children were grown, they did not connect with her.  She had a lot to be angry about.  She had a lot of justified reasons for resentment and she had quite a bit, as you can well imagine.  But, after her husband died, she openly accepted those people in her family who wanted to make restitution.  She didn't demand a thing from them, other than an open mind and heart.  She even took herself to her husband's rumored mistress and made peace with her.  What do you think?  Was she a weak, desperate person or was she wise and strong?  Was she so use to being used as a doormat that she no longer knew how to stand up for herself, or was she so relieved to let go of years of loneliness and shunning?  All I can tell you, is that I found her actions to make peace with her pain, inspiring.  Oh, it's so easy to hold onto resentments, to work them over in our minds until we know we are right and our nemesis is oh, so very wrong, perhaps even evil.  But, truly, when I do that, those emotions, those conversations I have with myself, don't disturb that other person in any way.  The only one who is unsettled and disturbed is me.  Sure, it takes me longer to let go of somethings than others.  But, it really helps me to tell myself that;  I freely forgive myself and others.  I know by putting this affirmation into practice, I am happier, I am more peaceful and I am healthier.  Truly, there are no justified resentments.  Let them all go, especially the ones you hold towards yourself.