Four Quotes About Forgiveness.

1) "Forgiveness is a process through
which we seek to free ourselves from
the bondage to another person, a
relationship that is maintained for
as long as we stand in judgement of
them."
-- Joan Borysenko --

2) "The psychological case for forgiveness is overwhelmingly persuasive. Not to forgive is to be
imprisoned by the past, by old grievances, that do not permit life to proceed with new business. Not to
forgive is to yield yourself to another's control. If one does not
forgive, then one is controlled by
the other's initiatives, and is locked into a sequence of action, a
response of outrage and revenge. The
present is overwhelmed and devoured
by the past. Those who do not forgive are those who are least capable of changing the circumstances of their lives. In this sense, forgiveness is a shrewd
and practical strategy for a person
or a nation to pursue, for forgiveness frees the forgiver."
-- Robin Casarjian --

3) "...Deciding not to forgive someone, because remaining angry gives you more power."
-- Carolyn Myss --

4) "I doubt that I have learned as much in life as a reasonably long
lifetime should be expected to provide (I write this in my 74th
year), but a few things stand out.
I have learned that life is an adventure in forgiveness. Nothing
clutters the soul more than remorse,
resentment, recrimination. Negative
feelings occupy a fearsome amount of
space in the mind, blocking our
perceptions, our prospects, our pleasures. Forgiveness is a gift we
need to give, not only to others but
to ourselves, freeing us from self-
punishment and enabling us to see a
wider horizon in life than is possible under circumstances of guilt or grudge.

There are times when we may feel wronged, betrayed, deceived, humiliated. It would be unhealthy not to react against the outrage. But limits need to be set to the emotional punishment such resentments and anger, however justified, can inflict on us.

Certainly we ought not to grant others the right to give us ulcers.
Forgetfulness can be an asset in such cases. Forgetfulness is generally regarded as a defect. But
forgetfulness, allied to forgiveness, is a way of erasing the
smudges in the mind that come from
prolonged brooding over taunts or
insults or injustices, real or imagined. Among the prime assets of the human mind is the ability to cut
loose from vengeful or burdensome
memories. The easiest way to deepen
a grievance is to cling to it. The
surest way to intensify an illness is to blame oneself or the Deity."
-- Norman Cousins --

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