Whether to forgive and whether to stay in any sort of relationship are two very different questions. There are two types of forgiveness: One is to free the person who needs forgiveness from guilt, to let them off the hook, to give them a second chance. The other is to free yourself from the bonds of resentment so you can move on. If you are forgiving as a healthy life strategy to keep your life unencumbered by past hurts, you may also have to look hard and objectively about the wisdom of subjecting yourself to new hurts and disappointments. It’s unlikely the other person will change so you have to, either by changing your mind about the way you experience the things that have hurt you in the past — that is, just don’t let it get to you. Or you can change your circumstances by moving away from the source of pain. Please watch the beautiful video on forgiveness, filed under Worth Watching.
