Among the most important task for a person to do, is to learn to forgive. All of us go through life picking up grudges and resentments, starting with our parents and siblings and moving on to the neighbor who once shut the door while you were passing and a shopkeeper who sold you a dud product

We may be justified in our anger and resentment, yet the fact remains that unless we forgive, we will remain bonded to the individual, suffer untold pain and never move on. Our anger damages us much more than it does those we aim it at. And yet, how difficult it is to let go.

Researchers have proved that people who harbor grudges and bad feelings towards others, who cannot forget unpleasant happenings others caused them, can bring on themselves not only mental problems but also physical distress and illness. So from a personal point of view, forgiveness is important. It restores a person to better mental and physical health.

The more permanent, through difficult way to learn to forgive is the philosophical one. This is to acknowledge the truth that each of us has been given the God-given right to be whom we are, and do whatever we do. Therefore we have no business to expect people to behave the way we want them to. We are meant to accept them as they are. They have the right to be who they are and if we have a problem about this, we will be able to forgive them completely and process our reactions within ourselves. So, work away and great joy will be yours the day you will awaken with nothing but love and kindness for your fellow creatures.

There are times, too, when you need to forgive yourself. How often have we been bothered by some unkindness we have done in the past and wished to forget? You can forget it. Forgive yourself and end all thoughts of it forever. Carrying around bitterness toward yourself for something done in the past can have the same consequences that resentment towards others can have – mental and physical consequences, a nervous breakdown or illness. Forgive yourself and believe that God will forgive you; then go about your business as if the past had never happened.

Bro Andrew Richard