Finding Forgiveness

Do you want peace? Forgiveness offers it.
Do you want happiness, a quiet mind,
a certainty of purpose,
and a sense of worth and beauty
that transcends the worlds
Do you want a quietness that cannot be disturbed,
a gentleness that can never be hurt,
a deep abiding comfort,
and a rest so perfect it can never be upset?
All this forgiveness offers you.

-Taken from ­–The Course in Miracles


Since New Year’s I have been working on “Forgiveness” as a major theme in my life. It was theme that ran through much of last year as I worked on reconciling with my father and forgiving myself of some things I have held onto for years. I continue to tackle this theme as I work on resolving my emotions regarding the comments (Read the events: Here.) of someone, who until recently, I considered one of my closest friends. (Or at least someone with whom I had a very special connection.)

I believe the words written above about Forgiveness are true. I know they are from experience. Then how come I am having such a hard time forgiving my friend?

He has called me a least five times since the beginning of January. And five times I have let it go to voice mail. I think the Universe was trying to tell me something one of those days. I had been practicing a mantra to help with forgiveness, mainly to change my attitude whenever I thought of this person.

“I forgive you, (insert name here), and I release you to the Holy Spirit.”

I had been saying that mantra all afternoon. So who calls that night? He does. Alas, the student (me) wasn’t ready and let it go to voicemail.

So I think the next post or two will continue on this topic. I know that I have to get to some point of forgiveness with this issue with my friend, if even so I do not carry such negative emotions. I know all the benefits of forgiveness, I am just having trouble with this particular situation. Perhaps it is because this if a friend and not a family member. No matter what happens in life, my father is my father. And with regarding to forgiving myself, I’m the one person I’ll have to deal with everyday of my life. But a friendship is something made by choice.

If you have words of advice or wisdom about how to make forgiveness work or stories how forgiveness has played a role in your life, please feel free to comment.