The importance of Forgiveness

Years ago while growing up in a community that had little or no respect for the girl-child, I had series of nasty encounters both from family and strangers. Most of these encounters made me breed hatred in me to a point where all I had in me was hatred and viloence. I used those to protect myself like I thought then. My answer to I'll treatment was either hatred or violence.
And I remember then in high school we used to say things like "I will NEVER forgive that person".

To make things worse, I grew up in a home that was filled with hatred and violence. A home that was devoid of love. Smiling was a rare expression and so was laughter.
This affected me in ways I never imagined as I searched for acceptance and love in the wrong places. Just looking for what I never had as a child and teenager.

At a point, I grew to the age where I was responsible for my self and my actions.
I met Christ, started learning a new way to live and love.......... That was when I discovered the power in forgiveness.

I discovered how much chains I had put on myself all those years carrying burdens with heavy weight of unforgiveness and then blaming everyone around me for my unhappiness.
When I learnt I was in charge of my happiness and I wasn't getting any cos I had a lot of baggage on me, I started on a new road to happiness which was forgiving those who had wronged me.

Believe me when I say this: unforgiveness is a burden.

I realised that I was harming my self by not forgiving. I wasn't harming those who had hurt me but I was harming myself!

That was my wake up call. I decided to release myself of the negative vibes that unforgiveness has brought upon me and my life changed. I started feeling better, smiling more and appreciating more.

Forgiveness is a healer. It can make you look younger, rid you of some sickness and bring some happy shine into your life.

Picture from google