Forgiveness...........Do You Have It?

I was truly inspired today while watching The Oprah Winfrey Show and it's topic of discussion, FORGIVENESS. Real people with real stories were the guests. Mothers who forgave their childrens murderers. Families who have forgiven executioners of loved ones, one woman, Clairmayne, who has gone a step above forgiving the man who beat her beyond the point of recognition, actually extending a dinner invitation to the man who committed this brutal attack against her. Could YOU do this? Could I do this?

Clairmayne stated that "forgiving involves no red tape. No catch twenty two's. It is all or nothing. Not claiming to forgive someone of whatever act committed against you and then later re-emerging that act through subtle hints or a bitter lashing out. But heart felt,honestly forgiving." Oprahs guests all had extroidinary stories and circumstances. Far worse than anything i have ever confronted. And they still, unselfishly, forgave. So, it had me thinking about every unkind act directed towards me from other people. AND every unkind act I HAVE directed towards others. Carrying that hatred with me everyday has worn my spirit. The one thing that keeps ME alive. That spirit that is a driving force through my everyday living. The spirit that Is projected out to others everyday, either being first time encounters or to friends that i have known and loved for years. It is time to set MY spirit free. It is time for ME to forgive. It is long overdue.

I forgive my father. I forgive every act he committed directly or indirectly against me as a child and as a growing adult. I love him.......and finally forgive him. We are flesh and blood, he created my life but does not create my destiny. I am the holder of that and I am fully accepting responsibilty for every action i committed. Good and bad.

I forgive the 2 men that stole away my innocence when i was a child. No Names. They know who they are and i know they read my blog (thanks to bravenet). I forgive you for molesting me. You both had circumstances in your lives at the time that you could not control, so you committed an act where you COULD control something and someone. You are members of my non immediate family and i love you both and most importantly.....I forgive you.

To Tom. This is a double edged sword because i have to ASK forgiveness from you as well. We both committed acts against each other. Only you can decide if i am forgiven for mine or not. But, i forgive you for the acts against me. I want you to know that at one point in time, i did love you. That was never a lie. I am sorry for going into your journal and reading it. Seeing in black and white all the hurtful things about me I reacted in the wrong way. I thought that you were someone who actually knew me for who and what i am. I see now that you did not. That was due alot to me NOT allowing to let you to enter into my life totally. I forgive you for saying that I am only committing to Mark because of his money. Because deep down in your heart you know that is not true. I fell in love with you, and you were as broke as i was. I also forgive your friends. The ones who continue to write negative comments on their blogs about me and Mark. They were not ivolved in our relationship at the end of every evening, when we closed the door and therefore have no idea what circumstances and problems that you and I had. I know they do this because they ARE your friends and they love you. So, I can not be mad at others for wanting to protect a sacred friend. I hope they can find it in their hearts to forgive my actions and words. I forgive them for theirs.....

I would also like to ASK for forgiveness from a little girl that i went to Grammer school with. I have never forgotten her. Her name was Monica Whiskaver. I often think of her. If by some small chance you ever stumble across this Monica, wherever you are, I want to say that I am sorry.
I am sorry that i joined all the other kids in school when they teased and taunted you. I joined them in this at times because for once it was not me who was being teased. I knew when they had you climb onto those monkey bars and asked you to stand up at the very top that they were going to throw the dodge ball as hard as they could at you and watch you fall. What they didn't expect was for you to fall so hard down into the monkey bars that you hit your head and had to receive stitches to the laceration you obtained. I wanted to be your friend but at that time was afraid that i would be teased even more so. I am truly very very sorry for any hurt i may have casued you.... Love Harry.

Is there anyone that YOU would like to forgive?