Forgiveness is a powerful tool, one that is key in moving forward with your life. Many forget that forgiveness is for those that have been wronged as well as those that have done the wrong.
If we do not forgive, we become consumed by anger, resentment, and bitterness, all of which is the exact opposite of love. Forgiveness is simply our hearts way of saying “I am letting go. I am releasing you, as well as the negativity that you have brought upon my family and home. You no longer have a hold on my life or the power to control my emotions. You are not worthy of making any more of my decisions based on the animosity I have for you. I choose peace, contentment, and the freedom to forgive.”
The desire to become hateful and seek revenge is very common. However, no good will come of it in the end. Rather than making a permanent decision on temporary feelings, consider this: If it isn’t going to matter in 5 months or 5 years, don’t give it 5 seconds of your time. This is the rule of the Three 5’s. But, forgiveness is one of the hardest things that we try to accomplish. We seek love. When we receive something other than love our minds and hearts want to correct and counteract it.
The Forgiveness Project is an incredible display of love and the power in forgiving, even when the forgiven may not be sorry. It is a reflection of how one can still determine their own fate, even when derailed by another’s actions. It is a safe place to feel angry, unjustified, helpless, and yet, incredibly empowered as well. Founder, freelance journalist Marina Cantacuzino, explains: “I set out to tell the real stories of people whose response to being harmed was not a call for revenge but rather a quest for restoration and healing.”
The Forgiveness Project tells the stories of people whose lives have been shattered by violence, tragedy and injustice and who are learning to forgive, reconcile, and move on. Since its launch in 2004, the exhibition has been seen in more than 550 venues, across 14 countries, to an audience of over 70,000 people.
Regardless of where you are personally in the process, releasing negativity from your life and preparing to move forward is the first step. The Forgiveness Project is a great place to start, and a wonderful tool to teach us to simply love again, including loving ourselves. We are human, we seek love, we need love to survive, and it’s okay to keep going forward. Going forward is the only true way out of the darkness and into the light.
