“Forgive and Forget” is Impossible and Stupid… but Keep Trying
The Timeless Principle of Forgiveness
This is one in a series of essays that was originally conceived as a book for print publication. If you enjoy it and would like to read more from the collection, you can find a sort of Table of Contents here.
“To err is human.”
It’s funny how we tend to stop quoting Alexander Pope at that point. It’s a perfect justification for having done or said something stupid. Or, we may use it through gritted teeth to let someone know how pissed we are over what they did, but how we’re going to take the high road and only hold it against them quietly.
But the rest of the quotation is the real point: “To err is human, to forgive, divine.”
Now, when we’re the one who’s made the mistake, we automatically rely on other peoples’ forgiveness. It’s natural. We realize we screwed up, but we also realize everyone’s imperfect and they’ve screwed up before themselves.
But, when the shoe’s on the other foot, it’s not so easy.
