Forgiveness--
I am kind of like an elephant. Not in size--ha ha, but in memory. Every article I read about being happy and searching for change speaks to the idea of forgiveness. It is not healthy to hold grudges. The only person who is hurt from holding grudges is the grudge holder.
I can say that I forgive. I have grown since my teenage years and do not hold grudges. However, I have a very long memory. I remember the pain of the hurt, the sting of cruel words, the slam of negativity, and the faces of those who have wronged me. I do not wish them ill will. I do not hate. But I feel and remember.
I guess my questions arise out of trying to decide if my long memory usurps my forgiveness or if remembering is what allows me to forgive each time.
Think about all of the times you have had to forgive. Did it come easily or was it hard. In the movie Eragon, one of the main characters says, "It is better to beg forgiveness than to ask for permission." (rough citation)
Is this the same type of forgiveness? Is there ever a time when forgiveness is a gift not worth offering? Should George be forgiven for what he did to Lennie? Should the minors in Kettle Bottom forgive the mine companies when they throw them out of their homes, endanger the lives of the minors or kill the "Dago boy?"
What does it mean to forgive?
