An act so hard to commit is but possible to do is forgiveness.
Doing it is simple, but it does mean you're at peace with whatever you have forgiven, instead of it being an unsettled problem, seemingly haunting you.
After going on the 'This I Believe' site, I searched for essays and found one that honestly, spoke to me. Forgiveness has always been a hard thing for many - which is why there are grudges and people that are insane with rage over something that occurred, never taking the time to forgive the situation and the person that offended you. Forgiveness doesn't come easily but when you accept it, you, yourself will warm up to the idea of it and soon - forgiving people will be as easy as opening your eyes but it makes you feel better.
In this one essay, a woman and a male discuss how they forgave each other. The woman was raped in 1984 and chose the male in the line up of suspects as the rapist but had been wrong - putting an innocent man in prison for 11 years. The man, in jail, was able to understand where the woman had come from but forgave her, knowing that she had been sexually assaulted, acting on her fear. After finding out the man had forgiven her, the victim of rape forgave herself for putting an innocent man in jail and forgiving the man himself who raped her but instead, chose to forgive him so she could be free of hatred. Forgiveness is a powerful but easy thing to do - and it does so much.
It appealed to me especially how they just forgave each other. Wow. Rape is a difficult thing to overcome - if I had been the woman - I would have been angry with rage and then finding that I put the wrong man in jail, would always feel guilty for doing so in the first place. Forgiveness would have been one of the last things on my mind and it just surprised me and put me in awe how this man and woman were able to do it so easily, without getting too upset with each other. Even after the process of forgiveness - they managed to stay friends and honestly, that is true forgiveness there. You forgive each other, no second thoughts and don't regret your forgiveness, but instead create a stronger bond with the person you forgave and live without hatred, making you a better person.
I've been one for grudges and to know that it was possible to forgive so easily - I know it would be hard to forgive something for something similar to their situation but if it's possible, I'd be glad to do it, no matter how long it takes.
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