The art of forgiveness is not one I’ve practiced much… and I do believe that it is an art: It requires talent, or in the absence of talent, the hard work and time of deliberate practice.
I have no natural talent for forgiveness. I was rarely shown the mercy of being forgiven freely, or without conditions, growing up. I was taught that forgiveness requires penance before it can be given. Is it possible to allow for failures and weakness in others and not require them to serve penance and to come up with a plan to prevent future mistakes?
Evolution inspired by fear of reprisal was all I knew. Now, evolution driven by acceptance, compassion, and love is finding its way into my understanding of the world and myself. It’s been an exciting shift in thinking that I’m sure will change my life in ways I don’t yet see.