The Jungle of Forgiveness

I am sure we have all had moments in our lives where someone has said or done something that has hurt our feelings or even damaged our heart. This is an occurrence that can define who we are, allowing what the other person has done, truly affect our mind, soul and heart. This is the dangerous part, letting someone else’s words or actions define who we are as a person, because in turn, we can become angry or even resentful.

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In the past few years I have had to dig deep for forgiveness. Yoga has opened up my mind, heart and soul, and has taught me to see that sometimes forgiveness isn't always the other person and what they did or said, but more so, forgiveness of me.

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In life we are all effected by things that happen to us and some are stronger to let it go, to forgive and forget, to move on. I think that we are all creatures of habit and emotion, and we translate things very differently. Some of us are lucky to find a counterpart, whether it be a friend, family member or significant other to lean on, to help us work through our baggage. I was lucky enough to find a man that loves me unconditionally, no matter what my past held, no matter what my reaction was/is, he’s always willing to stand by my side and encourage me to grow. I can now call this man my husband; he has been my best friend from day one. 

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I also think a lot of times we spend years trying to make sense of what happened, and even try to approach the person/people that hurt us. Why do we do that? What answers are we searching for? More times than not, we play out the encounter in our minds, what a slippery slope, which then creates much larger expectations of the outcome.  The past is done, it is written, it cannot be changed, so what good does it do to peel off old scabs? What does it accomplish other than hurting both people again? I have found that the power of forgiveness for me has come from within. It’s truly forgiving without getting the so-called “answers” I think I deserve. It’s letting go of all the unanswered questions, the hurt, the memories your mind has stirred up and simply accepting what happened for what it was and freeing yourself.

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I’m humbled and enlightened for my journey with forgiveness. I have learned a lot, and know that the power of forgiveness and taking accountability for my own actions go hand in hand. We all play a role in the situations we are faced, some hold more weight than others, but at the end of the day there are always two sides of a story. For me, the best part about forgiveness is feeling lighter, knowing that life is way too short to hold grudges but is a long enough to create new memories.

Here to life, love and happiness.

 <3 Ash

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