[Forgiveness].

“The weak can never forgive. forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi 

Forgiveness can be a tough word to swallow.  Starting with forgiving small things like a friend breaking a wine glass or your husband forgetting to pick up your library book, are easy ways to begin embracing forgiveness.  But as the crimes get bigger, forgiveness seems harder to embrace.
I’ve also realized, forgiveness is much more about myself then I originally thought.   Letting go of the hurt, begins to mellow me and allow me to let go of that heavy burden I continue to carry around. I love these quotes that say, “forgiveness isn’t something we do for other people, we do it for ourselves to get well and move on” and “forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner.”
But, what about when forgiving someone causes you to think you are weak?  For me, I often get caught up in this struggle that while forgiving someone, I’m enabling poor choices, giving them a gift card to go shopping with my heart.  What if we say that forgiveness is strength?  Realizing others make mistakes (as do I) –  letting  go of the pain they caused and move it away from myself – requires a heck of a lot more strength than I originally thought. 

This year I’ve forgiven things from small to big, and none of them felt easy in the moment.  Forgiving, does allow me to be happier and let go of that nagging voice in my head that carries around anger.  There are studies that show forgiveness creates a higher quality of life, healthier body and a more positive attitude.  Woo-hoo, bring it on!
Today, I’ve chosen to fill my heart with not only thankfulness, but also forgiveness – even if it means I choose to forgive the lady who bumped into me three times with her shopping car in the Target toy aisle.