For You

Forgiveness,  huh,  James Barbour?
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The root of the word forgive comes from the practice of cancelling a debt. It actually has an ancient etymology, and only (relatively) recently has been translated into an emotional connotation.

Because only recently did we begin believing that people owe us on an spiritual and emotional level.

Intangible debts are almost impossible to pay. Which is why we have clear cut contracts in business. Spoken words can be misunderstood. Writing has a powerful way of making things concrete.

When someone hurts you, how can you hold them accountable? Hurt feelings are not easy to quantify. You see court cases based on pain and suffering, but if we’re honest, all that does is make another person suffer in a tangible way.

It cannot ease your own pain. That is where the “debt” is.

Here is the rub. No one can ease your pain but you.

Even in the face of what feels like a horrendous injustice, if the person responsible just as horrendously punished but you are not open to a sense of peace, your peace will never come.

The peace has to rise up from in you.

This…THIS… is what forgiveness is.

For-giveness.
For- belonging to; given
Giveness- a state of being giving (like happiness is a state of being happy)

Forgiveness: the possesion of a state of being giving; possesing a state of generosity.

If you know who you are, if you see what that is, you can cancel any and all perceived debts. “Giveness” is a state of not lacking. It is a place where you are bigger than anything you experience.

You are born a giver. Forgiveness is the restoring of who you are. When you are hurting, see if you don’t withdraw your love. See if you’re not short and impatient with people. The practice of forgiveness is so not for anyone but yourself.

Once you can give your heart the space to forgive, you are also giving yourself the place to be restored. To be healed.

For your life.

For your restored sense of power and overcoming.

For you.

Forgive.