To forgive

[Lifes Twists]

I thought a discussion about a concept that I struggle with and many others here do as well. I see a lot of us write" I know I have to forgive them."

What is it to forgive and is this the right thing?

I have been thinking and talking with people a lot lately about this.Forgive and forget, forgive and move on. What is the right way to look at this?

To me, right now, to be forgiven is the same as to give respect. Is it a given? A right? I don't think so. I believe right now it has to be earned. I can accept this is the person they are right now. That their actions are based on being this person. That I don't want this kind of person in my life. I can let the anger go because their actions and words are based on who they are right now. I know I can not change them so it does me no good to get angry or hold anger in. This does not mean that I have to let them hurt me. I can step back and hold them away out of my life.

They will have to earn my forgiveness. They will have to show me that they are a different person. Someone who has grown and changed. It is their right to seek forgiveness if they acknowledge what they did and show that they changed.Until then I can accept that this person is someone I don't know and don't want to know so why let what they do control my life.

What do you think?