The Wisdom of Forgiveness
‘Forgiveness requires courage and clarity; it is not naive. Mistakenly people believe that to forgive is simply to “forgive and forget,” once and for all. This is not the wisdom of forgiveness.
For great injustice, coming to forgiveness may include a long process of grief, outrage, sadness, loss and pain.
True forgiveness does not paper over what has happened in a superficial way. It is not a misguided effort to suppress or ignore our pain. It cannot be hurried. It is a deep process repeated over and over in our heart which honors grief and betrayal, and in its own time ripens into the freedom to truly forgive.
Forgiveness sees wisely. It willingly acknowledges what is unjust, harmful, and wrong. It bravely recognizes the sufferings of the past, and understands the conditions that brought them about. There is a strength to forgiveness. When we forgive we can also say, “Never again will I allow these things to happen.” We may resolve to never again permit such harm to come to ourselves or another.’
- Jack Kornfield, The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness and Peace.
