Forgiveness

Forgiving is something I was raised with. I think it is key to our lives as people. When forgiveness is bestowed, its important to remember that the person who did the wrong isn't getting let off the hook, but its more a release for yourself. It allows you not to harbor anger or bitterness in your life. I am a firm believer that an unwillingness to forgive can make things worse and gives the other person more control.

Now in no way do I think it is easy. I believe it is a daily choice and not a feeling. Its rare that one feels like forgiving but it is necessary. I have had and continue to get a lesson in this. About seven years ago my parent's got involved in an investment with a good friend of the family. Long story short, they were encouraged to take money out of the equity with the promise that it would return and they would have more money. Turns out, the investment properties never existed and my parents lost a lot of money. Our good family friend took money from my family and committed fraud. This situation has literally effected everything. I had to take out student loans because my parents could not afford college at SJSU, as well as my younger sister. My wedding was not the "dream" wedding a girl hopes for, but I have to say it was pretty awesome in spite of having to cut corners. I had to make a lot of financial sacrifices because of what this man did to my family not to mention that his daughters are some of my closest friends. My parents both struggled emotionally over it, especially be the person who took the money seemed to walk away without a consequence. There is plenty more to the story, but I had to make and still make a daily choice to forgive the man that took money without a backwards look, causing my dad to work on the weekends so they wouldn't lose their house. For a while I was pretty angry and bitter because I wanted him to suffer for what he did and he wasn't, but it was robbing me of my life and my happiness. So I make the choice to forgive.