Forgiveness 

If you’ve wronged me, first let me say that I forgive you. 

Maybe you don’t know better. Maybe you don’t see yourself as wrong. Maybe you have the inability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and see how you’re effecting them as opposed to how what you’ve done effects you. Maybe you lack humanity, the empathy and sympathy for another human being. So I forgive you because like a child, you don’t know any better. 

Those that have betrayed me, I forgive you because you make me value those I trust and have earned my trust that much more.

Those that have lied to me – I forgive you because you have taught me the value of honesty, and because I know deep down you’re ashamed of your actions, thus you felt the need to lie.

Those that have called me names- I forgive you because you taught me that being a bitch isn’t always a bad thing, and standing my ground frightens you enough to reduce yourself to name calling to try to knock me down. And I won’t be knocked down by meaningless words. 

Those that have hit me and put your hands on me – I forgive you because you taught me that physical pain can be overcome, and that I’ve felt much worse physical pain. A slap is nothing compared to labor pains, or the healing if a cesarean, and I shouldn’t be afraid to stand up for myself out of fear you may physically retaliate.

Those that have judged me – you’ve taught me to never judge someone unless you know the whole story. And since no one but me knows my whole story, your judgement is meaningless. 

Those that have wronged my family – I forgive you because you’ve taught me to value them more, and made me realize that I am no good to them in jail should I take karma into my own hands. 

Those that have tried to play mind games with me – I forgive you because you’ve strengthened my mind and made me smarter, less susceptible to tricks.

Those that have appreciated my physical appearance and ignored my personality – I forgive you because you have taught me that there is more to a person than just their face and body.

Those that have misjudged my intuition and intelligence – I forgive you because you have taught me to trust myself above everything. 

Those that have used me – I forgive you because you have taught me that another person’s time and resources, whether physical or otherwise, are valuable beyond words.

Those that have lied about me – I forgive you because you have taught me that gossip and rumors are hurtful things that I should never engage in.

Those that have taken from me – I forgive you because you have taught me to value what I have.

Those that have judged my appearance negatively – I forgive you because you have taught me to not live for someone else’s opinion, to love myself.

To those who have judged my parenting – I forgive you because you have taught me that what works for one parent may not for another, and that’s okay.

There are a million and one ways that I have been wronged, but these are the ones that stick out in my head. I have been judged and belittled and hit and made to think I was less because a child in an adult body has not known any better than to hurt someone else through their own heartless actions. 

To all those that have crossed my path and hurt me instead if building me up, I forgive you and thank you for making me into the intelligent, loving, strong, beautiful person that I am today. There are no shortage of people who have wronged me, but you were all valuable. And you can sit back and watch while I take my hurt and build it into something wonderful instead of letting it break me. There is beauty in the breaking, and I always come back better for the pain.