Where Is the Gender Divide When It Comes to Forgiveness?
Do we understand the fine line between forgiveness and enabling?
Forgiveness is the cornerstone of most religious and spiritual practices; “to err is human, to forgive divine” is perhaps the most often repeated of the millions of quotes you can find about it.
We all make mistakes, great and small, and it is the hallmark of a good person to be able to own those mistakes and apologize sincerely for them. But when we have been wronged, it takes even greater strength and wisdom to forgive in earnest.
We all ultimately have to understand that whether or not the transgressor is capable of acknowledging the wrongdoing and making amends for it, that living in a place of bitterness and rancor only hurts the self.
Letting go and moving on is not a reward for the person who hurt you, it is self-care. Most people, at some point in their life will lose a relationship due to divisive behavior. Whether you are the perpetrator or the victim, no one emerges entirely unscathed, no matter what the appearance is.
The most difficult type of forgiveness to muster, however, is for people we choose to continue to engage with; if we determine the offense was not a deal breaker, we…
