On Forgiveness (Eid Edition)
There was a time when forgiving others was a breeze. When we were young, we thought of mistakes as ordinary occurrences and believed that love was powerful enough to overcome any pain. But as we grew older, the world around us became more intricate and complex, and our wounds became deeper. Forgiveness began to feel like an elusive concept, and the language we used to talk about it started to fade away.
As we navigate through the world, we carry the weight of love, pain, hope, mistakes, and memories for 364 days of the year. But for one day, under the shimmering light of the full moon, we are called to forgive. We question how we can forgive those who have hurt us and ourselves for allowing it to happen. How can I forgive the way you trespassed me? How can I forgive myself for allowing life to unfold this way?
But forgiveness is a language that transcends words. It's a feeling that fills our hearts and lifts us up. In English, forgiveness comes from the Latin word perdonare, which means to give completely. In Aramaic, it means to untie. In Indonesian maaf is born out of the Arabic word mu’af, which means freedom. These words all point to the same thing: forgiveness is about freeing ourselves from the bonds of pain, anger, and resentment. A forgiveness that exists beyond language, that becomes a part of yourself.
Here is this week’s tender reminder: this year, and every year after, forgiveness will find you. This year, and every year after, we will find each other and say: Thank you for giving me freedom.