Everyone has been hurt by others. That’s universal. And we have all hurt other people. That is universal, too. But what do we do with the pain?

Forgiveness requires a lot. We must get over our desire to hurt back. When we let go of our need for revenge we can move to the next step: Letting go of the past hurt. By letting go we aren’t giving the offender a “hall pass” for the offense. But we are releasing any potential power it may have over us. This is when the power of forgiveness accelerates.

There’s a sadness that can occur when we forgive. It’s almost like losing a friendship, even though it isn’t a good friendship. When the desire to let go overtakes the desire to hold on, we have arrived.

This takes time. It can’t be rushed or forced. Forced outcomes aren’t genuine. Forgiveness is growth, too. Forgiveness is for you, not the offender.

If you are holding on to a hurt from the past, it is my hope that you will move forward on the road to forgiveness. Keep healthy boundaries up so it doesn’t happen again. But don’t shut down completely. Isolation is as harmful as lack of forgiveness.

Everything begins with gratitude…