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I’m still meditating on and following the path of forgiving –  forgiving both  others and myself for transgressions that are still causing pain, grief, anger, or denial.  Once begun, it is a long, steady, and sometimes stumbling journey.

Forgiving and releasing one incident often has the unexpected result of  uncovering a new insight or a new perspective and not all of them are pleasant or immediately healing.

It brings to mind the dialog on the movie,  Shrek, where Shrek and Donkey have the discussion of how ogres are like onions:   there are more to them (ogres and onions) than they seem on the surface and they both have many layers.

Forgiving is like an ogre, then:  It has many layers.  Peeling and releasing one layer may not fully solve the pain.  Peeling away a layer may even expose a deeper or broader issue that was hidden or distorted under a veil of anger or resentment.  Sometimes even seemingly unrelated issues will surface.

Forgiveness can bring peace and clarity on one issue while at the same time revealing new issues that must be acknowledged.  It is all part of the healing and releasing process.  It’s like pulling away the towel that seems to fill the basket that you are carrying only to discover that there are rocks and other debris on the bottom of the basket.

Here is a page of quotes on forgiving and forgiveness that I’ve just posted on the Simple Life site.  Inspiring Quotes – Forgiveness Quotes .  I’ll be adding to them as I find new ones that inspire me or teach me more about forgiving.

Meantime, here are some of my favorites:

There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness.
– Josh Billings

Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.
– Cherie Carter-Scott

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
– Mahatma Gandhi

Forgiveness does not always lead to a healed realtionship. Some people are not capable of love, and it might be wise to let them go along with your anger. Wish them well, and let them go their way.
– Real Live Preacher (blog July 2003)

Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.
–Nelson Mandela

A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.
–Robert Quillen

When we forgive evil we do not excuse it, we do not tolerate it, we do not smother it. We look the evil full in the face, call it what it is, let its horror shock and stun and enrage us, and only then do we forgive it.
–Louis B. Smedes

‘Tis the most tender part of love, each other to forgive.
–John Sheffield

Peace,

Patti

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