Forgiveness Will Complete The Process

"Do visit Bryce Canyon," a man advised. "But do it later, after you've driven through the other parts of Utah. It's like the icing on the cake." So it is with forgiveness. It's the icing on the cake.

Forgiveness is a simple word, but a difficult, complicated process. Forgiveness is also essential if we want to find happiness and joy.

To forgive too soon, before we've felt all we needed to feel along the way, is incomplete. Forgiveness based on denial won't work. And not to forgive, after we've felt our emotions---our anger, rage, pain and betrayal---will harden our hearts and keep us closed. We'll have loose ends to tie up, an unfinished connection to our past. We'll have unfinished business with others, even though we may not see them, speak to them, or consciously think about them any longer. We won't be free, and neither will they.

Sometimes we need to seek forgiveness because we've tried everything else and nothing works to bring us back to peace. Sometimes forgiveness finds us, unexpectedly transforming our hearts, softening us, opening us, and renewing our hearts and our relationships.

Sometimes forgiveness surprises us because it's
the last thing we thought we would need to feel
whole again. Forgiveness is often the completion
of the process. It's the icing on the cake.

~~~~~Melody Beattie