When we cling to the negative memories of our past, we relive the pain repeatedly, hurting ourselves and preventing our healing. Chronic anger and resentment can put you into a constant state of fight-or-flight, changing your heart rate, blood pressure, and immune response.   

In Heal Your Life, Louise Hay detailed the mental cause of physical ailments suffered by her patients.  “Resentment long-held can eat away at the body and become a disease.  

Acceptance and forgiveness may mean admitting to ourselves that we are imperfect, ridding ourselves of the illusion of the perfect self.  We may have to let go of victimhood to see those who hurt us in a different light.

Life circumstances make us who we are.  People have different personalities, backgrounds, and life experiences.  We each have a unique perspective.  Hardship, abuse, loss, illness, are a few of the difficult challenges people may have faced; we can’t know what life is like to walk in another’s shoes.  

We can’t change the past, but we can reframe the way we remember it. We’re human and connected to each other.

We expect understanding and forgiveness from others, how can we not give others the same consideration?