https://chatgpt.com/s/m_6993eecf7bb88191ae74e2e6b080e544
Sometimes healing begins with two simple words:
“I’m sorry.”
It takes humility and courage to say them. When we intentionally—or unintentionally—hurt someone’s feelings, shut them out, make them feel inferior, like they can do nothing right, lie, yell, or wound them even with an angry expression, we need to take responsibility.
There are so many ways we can hurt one another. What matters most is to talk it through, own your part, and sincerely apologize.
Healing continues with three very powerful words:
“I forgive you.”
These words are not always easy to say. Yet they are deeply healing—for both people. This is the path to mending wounded hearts. The sooner forgiveness is given, the sooner healing can begin.
When each person takes ownership, apologizes, and forgives, there is room for healing love to enter. Love soothes the soul. But forgiveness must also come with intention. We must take care not to repeat the behavior that caused the hurt.
If someone has hurt—or even abused—you, holding on to resentment, fear, or hatred only hurts you. Forgiveness then becomes essential—not necessarily for the other person, but for your own healing and freedom.
You can forgive for yourself.
You can say:
“I forgive you for my sake. I release myself from the chains of fear, hatred, and hurt. You can no longer control my peace.”
You do not have to forget.
But when you forgive, you lay down a heavy burden.
You begin to feel free.
When I struggle with someone who is not my partner, I turn to prayer. I bring the situation to God and unburden my heart before God.. After I have poured everything out, something shifts within me. My heart feels cleansed. I feel peaceful. Often I gain clarity—either the situation resolves in my mind, or I understand what action, if any, I need to take.
And let us not forget the person who may be hardest to forgive:
Ourselves.
We are human. We all make mistakes. This is the human condition. Release the shame. Let go of guilt. You are a child of God, and God’s grace and Love are unconditional. I finally realized this when I was 45 years old, and it allowed me to forgive myself for not being able to say goodbye to my father before his death. That was very freeing for me.
When you forgive yourself—and release unrealistic expectations of yourself and others—you will feel infinitely lighter.
An example of a time I needed to forgive was with with my husband. We were in therapy, and the therapist said that we needed to attend to every problem in our relationship as soon as possible. When one feels the need to discuss something, we need to make an appointment with each other. After sitting down and discussing the situation, each of us has to own what they did to help cause the situation.
I became angry because my husband knocked over a tall cactus which was once his mother’s. He refused to pick it up when I asked him to to do so. Unfortunately, he was reminded of the way his mother treated him with the inference that he could never do anything right. I did have a scowl on my face when I asked him to pick it up. We discussed it and he apologized for knocking over the cactus and refusing to pick it up, and I apologized for becoming so angry about it and having a scowl on my face. It was just an accident after all, and no one is perfect, So we apologized to one another, forgave each other, and hugged and kissed, until we both felt soothed and loved by the other once again.
Forgiveness is not weakness.
It is strength.
It is freedom.
It is love.
—A gentle question for you:
Is there someone—or perhaps even yourself—that you are ready to forgive today?
— Jackie Billy
Sometimes healing begins with two simple words:
“I’m sorry.”
It takes humility and courage to say them. When we intentionally—or unintentionally—hurt someone’s feelings, shut them out, make them feel inferior, like they can do nothing right, lie, yell, or wound them even with an angry expression, we need to take responsibility.
There are so many ways we can hurt one another. What matters most is to talk it through, own your part, and sincerely apologize.
Healing continues with three very powerful words:
“I forgive you.”
These words are not always easy to say. Yet they are deeply healing—for both people. This is the path to mending wounded hearts. The sooner forgiveness is given, the sooner healing can begin.
When each person takes ownership, apologizes, and forgives, there is room for healing love to enter. Love soothes the soul. But forgiveness must also come with intention. We must take care not to repeat the behavior that caused the hurt.
If someone has hurt—or even abused—you, holding on to resentment, fear, or hatred only hurts you. Forgiveness then becomes essential—not necessarily for the other person, but for your own healing and freedom.
You can forgive for yourself.
You can say:
“I forgive you for my sake. I release myself from the chains of fear, hatred, and hurt. You can no longer control my peace.”
You do not have to forget.
But when you forgive, you lay down a heavy burden.
You begin to feel free.
When I struggle with someone who is not my partner, I turn to prayer. I bring the situation to God and unburden my heart before God.. After I have poured everything out, something shifts within me. My heart feels cleansed. I feel peaceful. Often I gain clarity—either the situation resolves in my mind, or I understand what action, if any, I need to take.
And let us not forget the person who may be hardest to forgive:
Ourselves.
We are human. We all make mistakes. This is the human condition. Release the shame. Let go of guilt. You are a child of God, and God’s grace and Love are unconditional. I finally realized this when I was 45 years old, and it allowed me to forgive myself for not being able to say goodbye to my father before his death. That was very freeing for me.
When you forgive yourself—and release unrealistic expectations of yourself and others—you will feel infinitely lighter.
An example of a time I needed to forgive was with with my husband. We were in therapy, and the therapist said that we needed to attend to every problem in our relationship as soon as possible. When one feels the need to discuss something, we need to make an appointment with each other. After sitting down and discussing the situation, each of us has to own what they did to help cause the situation.
I became angry because my husband knocked over a tall cactus which was once his mother’s. He refused to pick it up when I asked him to to do so. Unfortunately, he was reminded of the way his mother treated him with the inference that he could never do anything right. I did have a scowl on my face when I asked him to pick it up. We discussed it and he apologized for knocking over the cactus and refusing to pick it up, and I apologized for becoming so angry about it and having a scowl on my face. It was just an accident after all, and no one is perfect, So we apologized to one another, forgave each other, and hugged and kissed, until we both felt soothed and loved by the other once again.
Forgiveness is not weakness.
It is strength.
It is freedom.
It is love.
—A gentle question for you:
Is there someone—or perhaps even yourself—that you are ready to forgive today?
— Jackie Billy
Skott, you certainly had me thinking with your own post about apologizing!!!! I have a lovely photo which didnt make this one!
A practical and love-filled guide to taking responsibility for how we’ve hurt others and the power of forgiveness. Your posts glow.