Forgiveness: A lesson for life

How does one learn to let go? For many people, the most difficult lesson of all to learn is one which teaches empathy and forgiveness – a lesson which teaches us to forgive others, and in doing so, liberate ourselves. Letting go is understandably difficult for many people, especially those who tend to form a strong emotional connection to different factors in their life. It may become difficult, or near impossible, to give up these bonds as they lend a feeling of security and safety to people - however, moving on and leaving the past behind is one of many important Life Lessons which must be learnt in order to progress and to grow as an individual. However, there are different situations and circumstances which encircle the process of letting go. While the attachment to positive feelings such as trust, friendship and love can be understood, many people also face problems with letting go of negative emotions such as resentment, hatred and jealousy. It may seem strange to hold on to negativity or to make it a way of life (as many people do), but even these feelings can sometimes act like a cushion, or a wall from reality. How? For someone who finds it difficult to confront their own personality, problems and issues, it may be a convenient way of hiding behind other people’s inadequacies, thereby making it easier to deal with one’s own problems. It constructs a convenient wall, or a curtain which enables people who cannot realize their own dreams to hide behind the failures which other people may have faced. This is why letting go is important – one of the biggest problems which one faces through an inability to forgive and forget is the prison one puts oneself in. There is no escape from bars which are constructed through a flaw in one’s own personality – on the contrary, not letting go of old prejudices acts like even more like a prison and keeps people from achieving the dreams they set out to reach or accomplish. Old hatreds and resentments are more often than not, a convenient excuse to keep from achieving your dreams. These are the cages we make for ourselves through an inability to look beyond the surface of our bitterness, and to solve the problems we face due to this bitterness. So the best way to let go, is indeed, to realize that the only person you are hurting is yourself, and the sooner you stop the greater your own life will be. Perhaps one of the best ways of finding methods to let go, is to travel and put yourself out of your own comfort zone. Many times, remaining in the same place and doing the same things over and over again can also make it difficult to do something as revolutionary as let go – and for this, you need a change of scenery as well as different experiences which allow you to expand your thinking. These experiences or field trips as they are often known, are vital for rejuvenation of the mind, body and soul.

Traveling Minds